The proportional system of elections is an essential step for the democratic development of the country and I hope that every MP, who participates in the balloting procedure, will fully share this responsibility which he/she has before the democratic development of the country and each citizen – Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said during the governmental sitting.

Head of the Georgian government responded to the political process ongoing at the Parliament in recent days and noted that the ruling political team had a solid position on the issue. PM underlined that the proportional system of elections was the political goodwill of the team and the response to the need for speeding up democratic processes in the country.

“We have already stated our position and I will repeat it again that proportional elections with a zero threshold were a kind will and decision of our political team, which was certainly a response to the urge for accelerated development of the democratic process in the country. Nothing has changed to this end. We remain on the same position and strongly note that proportional election is an essential step for the democratic development of the country and I hope that each MP will fully share the responsibility assumed towards the democratic development of the country and each individual citizen when voting. I am confident that this responsibility will be fully shared by all,” PM concluded.

The constitutional changes prepared by the parliamentary majority regarding transformation onto the proportional system of elections will be put for voting with the first hearing in the Georgian parliament today.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, Chairman of Georgian Dream Party and Irakli Kobakhidze, former Speaker of the Parliament initiated the proposed changes. Based on the change, the 2020 parliamentary elections will be held with the proportional (party) system under the conditions of 0%, the so-called ‘natural’ election barrier.