The Committee deliberated the issues-based agenda.

Shalva Papuashvili, one of the authors and initiators, Chairman of the Education and Science Committee, introduced the changes to the Election Code.

The amendments envisage changes in the rules of work and the decision-making of the Central Election Commission, number of CEC members, composition and rules of their election, the appointment of CEC members by parties and the termination of their powers. According to the rapporteur, the amendments will improve the election legislation, ensure the proper and stable development of democratic processes, which will further increase the credibility of the elections and fulfill the commitments set out in the memorandum between the parties.

The speaker elucidated the preconditions that preceded the elaboration of the document and focused on the basic principles and essence. He also explained that the draft initiated on March 2, which was developed within the working group, contained reform points, which were maintained as a result of the April 19 agreement, and supplemented issues related to the rules of staffing the election administration, including the issue of complaints left unresolved and the register of authorized persons.

• The bill proposes a new rule for electing the CEC Chairperson.
• The powers of the District Election Commissions shall be specified, the rules for the establishment of the District Election Commission, appointment and election of commission members and supervisors shall be changed.
• 8 members of the CEC shall be elected by the Parliament under the nomination of the President of Georgia, and 9 members are appointed by the parties in accordance with the rules established by this Law.
• The CEC Chair shall be elected under the nomination of the President of Georgia by two-thirds of the members of the CEC, by secret ballot, or by the Parliament of Georgia, in accordance with the rules established by this Article.
• The term of office of the CEC Chairperson shall be determined by the term of his/her membership in the CEC.
• The President of Georgia shall select and nominate 8 members of the CEC to the Parliament of Georgia in accordance with the rules established by this Article.
• The term of office of the CEC members elected by the Parliament of Georgia shall be 5 years.

In addition, the draft law envisages changes in the rules for the establishment of the District Election Commission, the election/appointment of commission members and supervisors, and thereof powers. However, the draft amendments prohibit the gathering of people or the registration of voters within 100 meters of the polling station. In addition, the deadlines for filing a complaint will be increased and it will be possible to file a complaint electronically. The CEC Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and CEC Secretary will not have the right to leave the complaint unconsidered.

A new rule for determining the composition of the representative body of the municipality (Assembly) shall be proposed. The Bill outlines the possibilities of carrying out certain actions in the elections by electronic means.

MPs expressed their views on the Bill. The rapporteur answered questions.

According to the Committee Chair, Irakli Kovzanadze, the Committee will return to discuss the budget issues envisaged by the draft law in early June.

The Committee approved the document to the Plenary.

The Committee reviewed 5 documents submitted by the Government of Georgia for ratification.

• Letter-Agreement of the Change N3 to the Financial Agreement between Georgia and EIB of August 20, 2013 (water infrastructure restoration, project II);
• Rejection Letter and the Change N1 to the Financial Agreement (Kutaisi Sewerage) between Georgia and EIB of October 15, 2015;
• Letter Agreement of Change to Loan Agreement between Georgia and AIIB;
• Agreement between Georgia and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China for the Elimination of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance;
• Agreement between Georgia and Japan for the Elimination of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance;

The Head of the Standing Audit Group on State Audit Service Reports, Paata Kvizhinadze introduced the information about the recommendations developed by the Group.

P. Kvizhinadze expanded on the recommendations discussed within the working group and stressed the importance of implementing the recommendations submitted to the organizations by the Audit Office and strengthening parliamentary control over them. According to him, the resolution, which will be drafted by the working group in June, will include the issues whose implementation is important and will give it the form of a law - "We will monitor the implementation of these recommendations and each point of the recommendation will be under the control of both the working group and the committee. The state audit will have to be intensified in this direction and we will, accordingly, strengthen the parliamentary oversight”.

The Committee deliberated the organizational issues. MPs approved the election of Beka Liluashvili and Gogi Meshveliani as the member of the Standing Audit Group on State Audit Service Reports