According to the new report of Transparency International, the post-electoral political crisis and the problems related to the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on the first year performance of the Parliament of the 10th convocation.

“Due to growing political crisis, the Parliament failed to exercise its control mechanisms effectively. The opposition, largely due to its legislative boycott, was not fully involved in the activities of the Parliament. No significant reforms were implemented during the reporting period, including the 19th April agreement between political parties that envisaged power-sharing within the Parliament.

Key Findings

Performance of the members of the Parliament

● The right of legislative initiative was not exercised by 53 members of the Parliament;
● The right to speech was not exercised by 21 members of the Parliament; 10 of which are representatives of the majority and 11 of which are representatives of the opposition.
● In the reporting period, 12 MPs (including 11 from the opposition and 1 from the majority) did not exercise either the right to speak or the right to legislative initiative, 1 of them is a member of the majority: Sumbat Kiureghiani, and 11 are members of the opposition: Giorgi Godabrelidze, Levan Varshalomidze, Abdulla Ismailov, Manuchar Kvirkvelia, Vakhtang Kikabidze, Ramaz Nikolaishvili, Kakhaber Okriashvili, Dilar Khabuliani, and Zurab Girchi Japaridze, Shalva Natelashvili, Elene Khoshtaria (The last two persons in the list had publicly stated that they would not take part in the activities of the parliament and boycotted, although they had not officially signed a boycott statement).
● GEL 766,860.60 was spent on working trips abroad taken by 47 MPs;
● Total of GEL 1,105,617.42 was withheld from the salaries of 59 MPs as a disciplinary sanction.

Assessment of important legislative amendments

Progressively assessed laws include: increasing the number of votes required to limit MP"s immunity; granting rights to a faction of a political group consisting of at least 2 members, except for the rights defined for the faction by the Constitution of Georgia; imposing the obligation on the Deputy Chairman of the Sakrebulo faction to file a declaration.

Positive legislative amendments that require further improvement: increasing mechanisms of protection of minors’ rights in the process of administering justice; several issues of election law reform.

The following legislative amendments have been negatively assessed: amendment to the rule of election of CEC chairperson and members; reorganization of the State Inspector Service; amendments to the Law on Common Courts; stricter sanctions for disobeying a police officer.

Main Challenges

Power-sharing and participation in the activities of the Parliament

The chairpersons of all committees are representatives of the majority. The April 19 agreement with the political parties on strengthening the role of the opposition in the parliament was not fulfilled;
The opposition was not fully involved in the activities of the Parliament, largely due to its boycott.
During the reporting period, there were three different chairpersons of the Parliament”, - reads the report.