Misunderstanding Between the Parliament and the State Chancellery

Debates concerning the self-governance have not been over yet. The parliamentary majority considers that the President should appoint a governor from a city council elected by citizens. The opposition, on the other hand, wants that a governor be elected by a city council and be confirmed by the President.

Conflict occurred between the ruling party and Badri Khatidze, head of the President’s Regional Office, yesterday.

Zurab Zhvania got full of indignation when heard of an unexpected consensus concerning the bill of self-governance reached between the opposition and Badri Khatidze. They had agreed that mayors and governors should be selected from city council members elected through proportional (party) system of elections and confirmed by the President. “Khatidze promised the opposition that these principles would be foreseen in the bill intended to be discussed at the special session in the Parliament”, the Dilis Gazeti states.

Badri Khatidze informed the press only about the consensus but said nothing at the majority council meeting with the President of Georgia. “The majority blamed the State Chancellery, Badri Khatidze, head of the President’s Regional Office, in particular, in provoking the ruling party… According to the parliamentary majority, the main idea of the provocation is the following: without agreement with the ruling party and even the President (which does not seems convincing) Khatidze promised the opposition to include “as if democratic” principles in the bill”, which the cruel ruling party is trying to object (the Dilis Gazeti).

The occurred confusion was surprising for The Akhali Taoba. “Who is lying, Zhvania, Khatidze, the President, or the parliamentary majority, because it is still unclear whether the opposition and the President’s attorney (Badri Khatidze) have reached an agreement or not?” the newspaper wonders.

It is interesting why the ruling party would not want that the State Chancellery and the opposition compromise. “It does not matter for the ruling party whether governors will be elected or appointed, the main thing is that the President, not the opposition, should be the initiator of the suggested project”, the Dilis Gazeti presumes.