Opposition Dismisses Draft Law on Property Rights

A draft law aiming at providing additional guarantees for property rights fails to meet expectations as it will not help owners whose properties have already been seized by the authorities in recent months, opposition lawmakers claimed on May 8.

A parliamentary inter-factional group involving MPs from the ruling and opposition parties is currently working on the draft law. The final text of the draft law has not yet been proposed by the group.

?If you take a glance at this document, it may seem that it meets the expectations of society? But this draft law will not apply to property, the legality of which is being investigated at the moment,? MP Davit Gamkrelidze, leader of the opposition New Rights Party, said in Parliament.
 
The Tbilisi Mayor?s Office said it plans to launch a probe into the privatization of plots of land in the capital in 1999-2000. The prosecutor?s office in Georgia?s second largest city, Kutaisi, has reportedly launched an investigation into 12 cases of privatization.

Gamkrelidze said such investigations suggest that the authorities are hastily trying to revise the results of privatization before the draft law comes into force.

He also said it made no sense for him to continue working with the inter-factional group ?as the ruling majority does not intend to compromise? and they will adopt the law in a form they consider necessary.?

The inter-factional group which was set up in March is considered to be a forum of cooperation between lawmakers from the ruling majority and opposition parties. The authorities have been citing it as an example of the ruling majority?s willingness to cooperate with the opposition.

Gamkrelidze called on President Saakashvili to hold a meeting with opposition lawmakers on the draft law. Saakashvili held several meetings with opposition MPs in recent months.

?I want and probably society is also interested to know the president?s position regarding this draft law? If the president does not express a desire to meet us before May 11, when he starts his visit to Warsaw, this will clearly mean that he supports this draft law,? Gamkrelidze said.

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said in response that it was too early to make any conclusions about the draft law, as the inter-factional group was still working on the document.

Lawmakers from the ruling majority said that currently ?the most important and disgraceful cases? of privatization were under investigation. That process would continue until the adoption of the law.

?No wonder it is still ongoing and I have nothing against it. However, as soon as this law is adopted the rules of the game will change and it [the law] will clarify in which cases investigation should be carried out,? MP Giga Bokeria of the ruling National Movement party said at the parliamentary session.

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