MPs Discussed Issue of Parliament’s Presence or Removal from Kutaisi and Restriction of President’s Power

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

On January 17, representatives of legislative body presented draft-amendments to the Constitution of Georgia in Kutaisi. The presentation lasted two hours in a noisy environment in Hotel Bagrati. Special commission, which has been working on the amendments for several weeks, raised two issues for public discussion: parliament’s location and president’s power.

“The main purpose of the constitution is to maximally reduce risks instead allowing any state system to destroy other and undermine their functioning. Georgia is super-presidential state and it causes governmental disbalance. We all know that president had multiple instruments to “run” the parliament. After October 1, 2012 the situation changed though he still can change the government which he does not like. It might create crisis in the country,” said the author of the draft-amendments, MP Vakhtang Khmaladze from the majority.

He clarified that constitutional mechanism shall be worked out which will guarantee proper operation of the government, which will be supported by the parliament and will not allow president to neglect decision of the parliament and people.

“To achieve this goal, the draft-amendments aim to cancel those authorities of the president, which allows him to use acting government against the people-elected parliament. Afterwards, he is allowed to create and maintain acceptable government for unlimited period. According to the bill, if president decides that the parliament no longer demonstrates the public will, he will have authority to dismiss the parliament and hold snap elections any time– 6 months after the last parliamentary elections and 6 months before president’s authority expires. Also, in accordance to the bill, resigned government implements duties before the new government is created by the new parliament,” said Vakhtang Khmaladze.

MPs from majority spoke about positive aspects of the bill. They think this model will ensure maintenance of stability and avoidance of possible political crisis.

“We do not want the country to be ruled by the government, whom people do not trust. We need neither president nor prime minister to have extra powers though the latter is leader of our party,” the members of the parliamentary majority clarified.

The parliamentary minority claims their opponents deceive society when speaking about possible crisis.

“Yes, it is true that according to the acting edition of the constitution president can dismiss government but we can calm and assure everybody that he is not going to do it,” said MP Akaki Bobokhidze.

MPs discussed parliament’s stay or removal from Kutaisi. MP Akaki Bobokhidze, author of the idea to make Kutaisi a parliamentary city, said that parliament’s location in Kutaisi is crucially important for the city itself and for economical and infrastructural development of the western Georgia in general.

“We had many plans with regard to parliament’s removal to Kutaisi. We had projects according to which we wanted to construct five-star hotels in Kutaisi. Foreign guests, international organizations would have arrived here and Kutaisi would have developed. It was and is our goal. It is disastrous for the nation, when one city is twice developed than another. In this particular case, Tbilisi ten and more times developed than Kutaisi. Our colleagues claim the parliament shall locate next to the government. I would like to tell them that legislative agency shall not move to the capital but the government shall move to Kutaisi,” said Akaki Bobokhidze.

Parliamentary majority believes if parliament stays in Kutaisi, it will be extra financial burden for the country’s economy.

The purpose of the constitutional bill, whose author is deputy chairman of the parliament Zviad Dzidziguri, is to remove norm from the constitution which estimates exact location of the supreme legislative body of the country. It is Article 48' of the Constitution which states that parliament of Georgia shall be located in Kutaisi and it can temporarily change its location only in emergency and military situations.

“We have enough arguments to prove why parliament shall be located in Tbilisi and not in Kutaisi. One of them is that MPs shall not waste much time on transportation and run between Tbilisi and Kutaisi. It is unserious approach to the issue. Of course, the parliament shall be located near the government. It does not mean that this city is less important for us but parliament’s presence here is not enough for its development. Other, more necessary and effective measures shall be taken in this direction,” said MP Zviad Dzidziguri.