New Parliament Convened

Five months after Rose Revolution Georgia’s new Parliament was convened on April 22.

President Saakashvili opened the inaugural session of the Parliament and urged his supporters MPs, which dominate in the legislative, “to keep unity.”

President said that restoration of country’s territorial integrity is a top priority of the government, as well as the legislators.

President also said that carry out of tax and social security reforms in short period of time should top the Parliament’s agenda.

“We have reformist government and we have reformist Parliament – this is our unique chance to carry out reforms, which will make Georgia close to Europe,” Mikheil Saakashvili told MPs.

150 MPs of the new 235-seat Parliament were elected by party lists on March 28 elections, which were partial rerun of fraudulent November 2 elections. March 28 elections did not affect 75 MPs elected in the single-mandate constituencies in November 2 elections, who keep their seats. Remaining ten seats are occupied by the representatives of the Tbilisi-based Abkhazia government-in-exile.

President Saakashvili’s National Movement-Democrats party has 153 MPs. The biggest opposition faction – the Rightist Opposition will count only on 23 votes.