On March 25, 2013, the Bureau of the Parliament of Georgia made a decision to consider the proposed amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia – the Election Code of Georgia in an accelerated manner.

According to the proposed amendments, in the nearest February, June or October, by-elections of local self-government bodies may be held in those municipalities where the number of majoritarian members of municipal councils whose powers were terminated early has reached three. According to the current Code, by-elections of municipal councils should only be held in those cases when the number of members of municipal councils whose powers were terminated reaches five, and only in those cases when more than two years remains until the following local self-government elections.

It is noteworthy that at a time when the country is implementing a fundamental reform of the electoral legislation and an inter-faction group involving all the stakeholders has been set up for this purpose in the Parliament of Georgia, the legislative body is considering the draft law bypassing the said task force, without a broad discussion and involvement of stakeholders, and in an accelerated manner.

We also find it unacceptable that amendments to the Election Code are made without the participation and taking account of the opinion of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, which is responsible for ensuring the administration and conduct of elections.

Considering that the local self-government elections are scheduled for May 2014 – and before that we have by-elections of the Parliament and presidential elections in April and October 2013, respectively – we think that the authors of the draft law have not submitted proper substantiation of the need of holding the by-elections a year before the local self-government elections which would have justified the financial expenses that accompany each electoral cycle.

Considering all the foregoing, we call on the Parliament of Georgia to give the public an opportunity to hold a broad discussion on the proposed amendments to the Election Code of Georgia and not to allow the passage of the amendments in an accelerated manner.