22:00, 21 March 2013

Georgian parliament adopts amendment to Constitution in the first reading

135 MPs have unanimously voted in support of the draft amendments to the Constitution of Georgia aimed at limiting the powers of the president. Thus, the bill was adopted in the first reading.

The ruling party "Georgian Dream" offered to deprive the president of the power to form the government without the consent of the parliament. The oppositional faction "United National Movement" had demanded to first hold the preferential (rating) voting on the bill.

Prior to voting, the speaker David Usupashvili satisfied the demand of the "United National Movement": in the preferential voting 93 MPs have supported the bill.

The proposed provision of the Constitution will come into play after resignation of the government. The amendment will prevent the president alone from forming the new government and force the previous government to go on working until the new one wins the parliament's vote of confidence.

Author: Inna Kukudzhanova

Source: CK correspondent