Snap elections or new elections is for the parties to decide, as all the elements of this package are going to be up to the political leaders to decide, the US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan declared in the TV Program Kviris Interview (Interview of the Week) on the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

The US Ambassador states it is vital for the political parties to bear in mind the important considerations of Georgian citizens and Georgia’s voters.

“This is why this process is taking some time. I’ve been trying to help the parties for four or five months, along with my European Union colleague, because we hope the parties can come together and talk through their differences and reach an agreement that is truly in the best interests of all the citizens of Georgia. This is what they’re going to need to do in a multiparty parliament. This is what they’re going to need to do when Georgia eventually joins NATO and the European Union. These are the organizations based on consensus and require compromise. So, I believe the parties will reach an agreement and make those courageous steps for the prosperity of this country,” the Ambassador said.

Kelly Degnan believes it is up to the Georgian people to decide on the structure of the Georgian parliament.

„Georgian people decided to have a fully proportional system. I think the recent elections demonstrated that more diversity in the parliament, ensures more voices in the parliament and demonstrates, you know, the diversity that’s in this country. That’s very positive. I think everyone regarded it as a big success that the Parliament not only had nine parties but had more women in it as well. So these are very positive steps forward,” the US Ambassador said.

According to Kelly Degnan, after twenty, thirty years of building a democracy, Georgia has made some very impressive progress along the way that will continue.

“That is the subject of the electoral reform that the party leaders negotiated here in my house during negotiations last year and that they have continued in parliament through the working group that is now looking at draft legislation. I think it was very positive that parliament sent the initial draft to ODIHR to the OSCE to review it. There are many recommendations by international experts over the years that have not been reflected in electoral reform. So it is very positive that this is an effort to really make fundamental improvements to Georgia’s election system that we all hope will eliminate the kinds of violations that were a problem not just in the last elections, but in previous elections,” US Ambassador stated.