Georgian opposition creates public movement "Protect the Constitution"

According to members of the opposition, the public movement has been created to "preserve the democratic development of the country." The opposition has called on the authorities to stop using the Constitution of Georgia in their own interests. Amendments to the Constitution are aimed at its improvement, and all information on them will be provided to the public. This was stated by Irakli Kobakhidze, Speaker of the Parliament.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 22, the state commission adopted the draft Constitution of Georgia by the majority of votes.

On May 1, the public movement "Protect the Constitution" released the declaration on inadmissibility of amending the Constitution under eight issues.

According to the declaration, the protest is caused by the fact that under the draft Constitution, the President is to be elected not by the people, but by the Parliament. Besides, the amendments to the Constitution also provide the abolition of the rights to create electoral blocs before elections and the preservation of a five-percent electoral barrier at parliamentary elections, the way of distribution of mandates for MPs, according to which unallocated mandates go to a party that won the first place at elections.

Besides, the opposition is dissatisfied with the abolition of the National Security Council, the cancellation of the President's powers as a commander-in-chief, the change in the rules for electing candidates for the position of the chair of the Supreme Court (SC) and the abolition of the Kutaisi's status as a parliamentary city.

According to members of opposition parties who signed the declaration, the work under the draft Constitution was conducted without taking into account the opinion of the opposition.

As a result, "there is the Constitution of the 'Georgian Dream' Party, but not the Constitution of Georgia," said Mamuka Katsitadze, the leader of the "New Right-Wing" Party.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.