Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili wrote a letter to Claire Bazy-Melaure, the President of the Venice Commission, seeking a legal assessment of the documents received in order to meet the 12 recommendations.

The Speaker requests an evaluation of various laws, draft legislation, and the deoligarchization action plan with the purpose of 12 recommendations’ implementation.

The letter specifies that, in line with an agreement established with the EU, draft laws previously considered by the Parliament of Georgia to address the 12 recommendations, along with an action plan designed to mitigate the excessive influence of interests in Georgia’s political, economic, and public spheres, which has been prepared by the Government of Georgia, have been submitted to the Venice Commission for assessment.

“Georgia has been implementing the European Union recommendations since July 2022, following the European Council’s decision to grant Georgia a European perspective, and the following 12 priorities for obtaining a candidate status.

As a result, Georgia’s institutions, led by the Parliament, made significant progress in adopting legislative changes and implementing policy reforms that further consolidated democracy and solidified the European agenda. Cooperation with the Venice Commission in this process has been helpful and we greatly appreciate it.

European Commission has been Georgia’s partner along the road. We maintained constant communication with its relevant Directorates-General for clarification and further guidance. The recent visit of the EU’s HRVP Josep Borrell to Georgia, together with high-level officials from the European Commission, was instrumental in making additional steps until the Commission’s much-awaited decision in October 2023.

Based on an agreement with the EU side, I am sending the following documents (attached to this letter) to the Venice Commission:

– Amendments to the Election Code and the Rules of Procedure of the Georgian Parliament;
– Law on the Special Investigation Service;
– Provisions from the Law on Personal Data Protection on the Personal Data Protection Service;
– Provisions from the Law on the Fight against Corruption on the Anti-Corruption Bureau;
– Draft Amendments to the Organic Law on Common Courts;
– Action Plan for Avoiding the Excessive Influence of Vested Interests in Economic, Political, and Public Life in Georgia.

Madam President, I would like to kindly ask you to provide legal opinions of the Venice Commission on these matters. Please, accept assurances of my highest consideration and esteem,” the letter reads.