Idea about the Two-Chamber Parliament Contradicts the Constitution of Georgia

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

“Fulfill your pre-election promise and do not consider removal of the parliament from Kutaisi to Tbilisi. Leave the legislative body in the parliamentary city, which restored its essential function after the parliament was moved there several years ago; in fact, it was revitalized. Do not kill Kutaisi, which is as important city as Tbilisi,” local representatives of the civil society organizations, as well as big part of the city population, reacted to the intention to move the parliament from Kutaisi back to the capital.

The protest demonstrations, debates and various activities against the removal of the parliament continue in Kutaisi, which still have status of the parliamentary city. A special group “Parliament Must Remain in Kutaisi” was created in the social network, where the users write that their activities in this direction will continue. 

“Probably, they will move the parliament from Kutaisi to the capital and then they will move the Constitutional Court from Batumi to Tbilisi. Later on, they will have new ideas too. I assume soon the entire Georgia will be in Tbilisi – the capital and the entire country too. When our “elected MPs” claim that keeping the parliament in Kutaisi is very expensive, can they imagine how expensive keeping the empty cities will be for the country?” representative of the Information Center of Kutaisi Khvicha Vashakmadze responded to the issue.

The Constitutional Commission is actively discussing the issue about the parliament’s venue together with other significant issues. They voiced the idea of two chamber parliament too – saying that one chamber will operate in Kutaisi and the second in Tbilisi. The idea has supporters and opponents in both majority and minority. 

“It is irresponsible to speak about two-chamber parliament without any arguments and basis. We should have many pre-conditions to make similar decision,” majoritarian MP from Kutaisi Koba Narchemashvili said.

The chairman of the fraction Georgian Dream Mamuka Nadiradze also disagrees with the idea about two-chamber parliament. He said, “Allegation that the Kutaisi has obtained a status of the parliamentary city, is just an argument and I think finally we should make the decision which will rely on more well-grounded argument.”

There is another obstacle too – integrity of the state territory. According to the Constitution of Georgia, the obstacle is originated from the Paragraph 4 of the General Provision. Consequently, if the authors of the initiative succeed in the parliament, the Constitutional Commission will have to significantly amend the main law of the country.