The meeting of the State Constitutional Commission Members with the PACE Monitoring Committee
he Members of the State Constitutional Commission held the meeting with the PACE Monitoring Committee members serving the visit to Georgia. Ms. Tamar Chugoshvili, the First Deputy Chairperson of Parliament, introduced the main principles, objectives and activity of the SCC.
The parties touched upon electoral system and undistributed mandates and blocs. “I believe there are no questions about transparency and inclusive nature of activity of the State Constitutional Commission. We are aspired to at maximal extent approximate positions and manage to achieve consensus upon decision-making”, - she stated. The meeting was attended by the SCC members from various Factions and SCC experts.
The meeting of the Chairman with PACE Monitoring Committee
“Proper Constitution will be the basis for long-term democratic development of Georgia”, - the Chairman, Mr. Irakli Kobakhidze stated at the meeting with the PACE Monitoring Committee. The rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee, Boriss CILEVIČS and Kerstin LUNDGREN asked about the electoral reform and the activity of the State Constitutional Commission.
The Chairman in details spoke about the issues considered by the SCC. The working groups, he stated hold intensive thematic meetings and inclusive process is effective. In the end, the Rapporteurs congratulated the Chairman with enactment of visa free travel and wished Georgia good luck in EU integration.
The visit of the PACE Monitoring Committee started today and will be accomplished on March 31. Within the visit, the meetings are scheduled with the President of Georgia, legislative and executive authorities, civil society and Public Defender.
PACE co-rapporteurs carry out a monitoring visit to Georgia
Boriss Cilevics (Latvia, SOC) and Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Georgia, are to make a fact-finding visit to the country from 28 to 30 March 2017.
The main focus for the visit will be the political climate and political pluralism following the last parliamentary elections, the priorities for the new government, and constitutional and judicial reform.
Meetings are foreseen with the President, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister and Foreign, Europe and acting Justice Ministers, as well as the head of the Constitutional Court, the Constitutional Reform Commission, the Chief Prosecutor and the Public Defender.
The co-rapporteurs will also meet the representatives of all parliamentary groups, as well as civil society organisations and experts.
Eka Beselia: election on the position of the Chairperson of the PACE Sub-Committee on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights is the greatest opportunity for my country
Chair of the Legal Issues Committee, Ms. Eka Beselia was elected on the position of the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights of PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
According to her, election is very important and a window of opportunity for introduction of the recent reforms held in Georgia to the European colleagues.
The PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights held the important elections. The Committee has a Sub-Committee on implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and nomination by the Committee and election on the position of the Chairperson is very important. I believe, this position will be the greatest opportunity for my country to introduce the recent reforms and challenges ongoing in Georgia to our colleagues in the capacity of the Chairperson. It is the opportunity to share brand new standards of the Committee, including new resolutions to our Committee, to establish better standards in Georgia along with our European colleagues”.
Nino Goguadze: It is the first time, when the CoE Resolution provides the positive record in regards with Georgia
The Member of the Parliamentary Delegation to PACE, First Deputy Chairperson of the Foreign Relations Commitee Nino Goguadze gave the estimation to the CoE Resolution and spoke about the positive directions provided in the text.
“The PACE has set the platform in 2015 to study the state of freedom of media in CoE member states and the facts of assault on journalists in general. Today, the PACE considered the draft resolution concerning the current situation in sundry CoE member states, improvements, difficulties and challenges in freedom of media terms. It is noteworthy that our Delegation, with joint involvement of other Delegation members, achieved reflection of significant improvement in terms of media pluralism and media freedom in Georgia on the resolution in which we had support by our partner states. The resolution also provides the issue regarding Georgia that we did not agree with, though development of the resolution has long ago started, we appeared to have a lack of time to hold conversations with more people about this part of the resolution and hence, the record remained in the text. All in all, I think that in terms of improvements and tendencies, the resolution is positive. It is the first time, when the CoE Resolution provides the positive record in regards with Georgia”.
PACE to observe the 2nd round of the parliamentary elections in Georgia
A 5-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), will travel to Georgia from 28 to 31 October to observe the conduct of the second round of the parliamentary elections alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The delegation will meet leaders of political parties, the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission, as well as representatives of civil society and the media, before observing the ballot on 30 October.
A joint press conference is scheduled on Monday 31 October (place and time to be confirmed).
List of delegation members
Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the delegation
Alfred Heer (Switzerland, ALDE)
Mark Pritchard (United Kingdom, EC)
Co-rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee:
Boriss Cilevičs (Latvia, SOC)
Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE)
PACE to observe the parliamentary elections in Montenegro
A 10-member PACE delegation, led by Aleksander Pociej (Pologne, PPE/DC), will travel to Montenegro from 14 to 17 October to observe the parliamentary elections, alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The delegation will meet the leaders of the main political parties competing in the elections, the State Election Commission, the European Union Delegation, as well as representatives of civil society and the media, before before observing the ballot on 16 October.
A joint press conference is scheduled for Monday 17 October (Hotel & Experiences The Capital Plaza Cetinjska 7Grand room, 1 st floor at provisional at 3 pm).
There is an appropriate environment for democratic elections in Georgia -PACE
There is an appropriate environment for democratic elections in Georgia – this statement has been released by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe which’s delegation visited Tbilisi at 13-14 of September.
“The delegation led by Emmanuel Zingeris believes that there is an appropriate environment for democratic elections in Georgia. The delegation saw pluralist political and media environment and working judicial base. Besides that the delegation believes that general climate is less tense than previous elections but the delegation highlighted that all the sides should condemn violence in campaign,”-it is said in the statement.
PACE pre-electoral delegation said that there was an environment for democratic elections
Strasbourg, 15.09.2016 – A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was in Tbilisi on 13 and 14 September 2016 to assess the pre-electoral climate of the parliamentary elections scheduled for 8 October 2016.
The delegation*, led by Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), felt that there was an environment for democratic elections in the country. It saw a pluralistic political and media landscape and a working legal framework. Although the delegation felt that the general climate was clearly less tense than it was during past elections, following discussions with various interlocutors, it considered necessary to underline that all parties should denounce all forms of campaign violence and harassment of opponents and that they should publicly call upon all their supporters to refrain from any actions that could undermine the democratic character of the elections.
The delegation indeed heard allegations of unacceptable acts of violence, intimidation, harassment and blackmail directed at candidates and voters. In this context, such acts, even if isolated, against candidates, party members or supporters, as well as threats against journalists, must be prevented. Perpetrators of such acts must be identified and punished. The delegation also said that any misuse of administrative resources in the electoral campaign must not happen.
The delegation underlined that all parties should focus on the real issues and avoid questioning the election framework as a campaign strategy, as this could undermine public trust in the elections themselves.
The delegation called on all stakeholders, and in particular on the authorities, to avoid any actions that could increase the tensions in the political environment in the run-up to the elections. It expressed the hope that all political players would spare no efforts to pave the way towards building a genuine culture of education, based on mutual respect between political forces of opposing orientations.
The PACE pre-electoral delegation was in Tbilisi at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. It met with the Prime Minister, with the Speaker of the Parliament and its first Deputy, with members of the delegation to PACE, with the Chairperson of the State Election Commission, with the Minister of Internal Affairs, with the Head of the National Communications Commission, with leaders and representatives of parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties running in the elections, with representatives of civil society and the media, with the Deputy Head of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission and with diplomats based in Tbilisi.
A full-fledged 32-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will arrive in Georgia prior to the parliamentary elections to observe the vote.
PACE delegation makes pre-electoral visit to Georgia
A seven-member, cross-party delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), will carry out a pre-electoral mission to Georgia on 13-14 September 2016, to assess the election campaign and political climate prior to the parliamentary elections on 8 October.
In Tbilisi, the delegation is due to meet the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Internal Affairs Minister and the Chair of the Central Election Commission, as well as the head of the National Communications Commission.
The delegation will also meet leaders and representatives of parties running in the election, as well as representatives of the media, NGOs and the diplomatic community.
A full 32-member delegation from the Assembly will return to the country to observe the election itself.
The pre-electoral delegation will issue a statement at the end of the visit.
Members of the delegation:
Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), head of the delegation
Maryvonne Blondin (France, SOC)
Jordi Xuclà (Spain, ALDE)
Ingebjørg Godskesen (Norway, EC)
Andrej Hunko (Germany, UEL)
Boriss Cilevičs (Latvia, SOC), co-rapporteur for the monitoring of Georgia
Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE), co-rapporteur for the monitoring of Georgia
