Opposition accuses "Georgian Dream" of deceiving Venice Commission

The ruling party "Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia" has deceived the Venice Commission by providing it with an irrelevant draft of the Georgian Constitution, oppositionists assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 22, the Georgian MPs adopted, in the first reading, draft amendments to the Georgian Constitution. Opposition leaders have stated that the MPs adopted the "Ivanishvili's and his party's constitution", and not the draft amendments.

Manana Nachkhebiya, one of the leaders of the "New Rights" Party, said in her today's interview with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the Venice Commission "had made an examination of one draft of the Georgian Constitution; and the parliament is adopting a completely different version."

"The ruling party has twisted the Venice Commission and the entire public round its little finger. The Commission has analyzed a completely different version of the Constitution. This is outrageous," said Manana Nachkhebiya.

"This is the destruction of the very idea of constitutionalism, which first of all provides for the maximum consensus of political forces. Now the Constitution is adopted only by the ruling party. All other political forces, non-governmental organizations and experts are against this draft Constitution. Such a shameful process has never happened in the history of independent Georgia," Ms Nachkhebiya has added.

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