Government Reconsiders Plan on Judicial Reform

The Georgian government has decided to reconsider its controversial initial plan regarding the reformation of the Constitutional Court.

Last December President Saakashvili proposed a number of constitutional amendments for consideration, including a proposal to change the rule over construction of the nine-member Constitutional Court. The proposed rule gives the President the right to nominate all nine members of the Constitutional Court for approval by the Parliament. This initiative sparked fears among the opposition parties that the Constitutional Court would fall under the President?s control.

The Council of Europe?s advisory body for the constitutional issues Venice commission also expressed concern regarding the planned constitutional amendments.

?The Venice Commission has some worries concerning some aspects of these amendments. Yesterday evening we received very good news from the Ministry of Justice. Mr. [Giorgi] Papuashvili [the Justice Minister] told me that the government has decided to reconsider this draft in cooperation with the Venice Commission,? Gianni Buquicchio of Venice Commission said at a news conference in Tbilisi on January 28.