SAAKASHVILI: LOWER PARTIES' PARLIAMENTARY

UNCLAS TBILISI 002596

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: SAAKASHVILI: LOWER PARTIES' PARLIAMENTARY
THRESHOLD TO 5 PERCENT

REF: A. TBILISI 2030

B. TBILISI 2574


1. (U) Summary: On October 16, in a televised meeting with
parliamentarians from the ruling National Movement (UNM),
President Saakashvili publicly addressed details of the
upcoming elections for the first time. The President called
for initiatives to reduce the party list threshold from 7
percent to 5 percent (ref A),to extend Parliament's term
from 4 years to 5 so it matches the President's term in
office, and to reduce the President's power to dismiss
Parliament. He said these changes would meet the necessity
for development of the country's political culture.
Saakashvili said lowering the threshold would create a
stronger opposition, which would be a token of a strong
democracy. Saakashvili said the current opposition was weak.
He also referred to recent developments in Georgia and said
that attempts were taken by tycoons (e.g. Badri
Patarkatsishvili) to influence politics as it has been done
in Russia (ref B). Saakashvili said these "elements inserted
by Russia" would not prevail. End Summary.


2. (U) On October 16, the President put forward initiatives
to reduce the party list threshold from 7 percent to 5
percent and to reduce "to a certain extent" the President's
power to dismiss Parliament. He said such moves are
necessary to "create a stronger political opposition in the
country." Saakashvili also suggested the UNM pass a
constitutional amendment to extend Parliament's term from 4
years to 5, in order to hold Presidential and Parliamentary
elections together on a permanent basis. He said this "would
allow Georgia to hold Presidential and Parliamentary
elections simultaneously and thus save funds and prevent
excessive political tensions." Saakashvili said a stronger
opposition would be a token of a strong democracy and would
encourage the further development of political culture in the
country.


3. (U) Saakashvili said the current opposition is "incapable
of competing with the administration." The President then
referred to recent political developments in Georgia (ref B)
and said that attempts were made by "tycoons" to influence
the administration as has been done in Russia. Saakashvili
said "Georgia is not part of the Russian empire anymore and
elements inserted by Russia will not prevail."


4. (U) Note: Parliament is currently working with the OSCE
and COE on updating and consolidating the election code.
Three items bear the brunt of the opposition's criticism of
the proposed election system (ref A): 1) the party list
threshold of 7 percent, 2) the composition of the Central
Election Commission (CEC),and 3) the "winner-take-all"
system for the 50 majoritarian seats. The party list
threshold was originally 5 percent prior to the Rose
Revolution in 2003. Saakashvili did not specify how he might
reduce the President's power to dissolve Parliament. End
note.
TEFFT