MP Beselia calls on Parliament’s Speaker not to use confrontation tone amid tense process

I have set up a working group for reforming the judicial system - I do not need copyrighting but I advise everyone not to believe they have the mandate to prohibit or restrict my work within any working format,- MP Eka Beselia said while commenting on the remarks of Parliament’s Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze.

Beselia told reporters on January 15 that she does not need invitation and plans to work within all the formats working on the justice issues.

“I do not need agreement with anybody to decide in which group I will have to be involved. I will be represented in every group dealing with justice reform. I do not need proof from anyone. This group was created by me in 2017. It's good that Mr. Kobakhidze likes it. It is good that the work will continue within this format. We will set up another format where our colleagues will be more involved, because the final changes should be made not by the working group, but by the Parliament. So I advise him not to use a confrontational tone - when the process is already tense, "Eka Beselia told journalists.

The lawmaker also noted that her colleagues and she have started work on the criteria for selection of the Supreme Court judges. Eka Beselia expressed hope that consensus will be made if it fails, the alternative version will be ready.

“I hope we will go through a constructive way aiming to protect the interests of the Georgian justice and not the interests of any narrow group,” MP Beselia said.

Chairman of Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze says that the procedure and criteria for selection of the Supreme Court judges will be developed within two formats.

“The procedure and criteria will be set within two formats – one of them is the working group format and another one is the parliamentary format. We will discuss the issue with interesting parties within these two formats. Based on this dialogue we will agree on the procedure and criteria, which do not have an alternative and this is the best solution for the issue of discussion. As for the working group format, the composition will be specified and defined in accordance with the same principles, which determined it from the very beginning. Based on cooperation with our colleagues, we will specify who will be represented in the working group, " Irakli Kobakhidze said.

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