“For us, it is important that every emigrant exercises the right to vote consciously and without any pressure - given that voters abroad are located under the jurisdiction of another state, ensuring the free expression of their will cannot be carried out effectively!” - with this argument, Davit Matikashvili, an MP from the Georgian Dream party, explained one of the provisions of the new Election Code, according to which, as in local elections, parliamentary elections will be held only in Georgia and polling stations will no longer be opened in foreign countries.

At the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Matikashvili also stated that 95,000 voters living abroad registered for the last parliamentary elections, of which 34,000 participated - amounting to 1.5% of the total electorate. According to him, it is speculation to say that the planned amendment to the election law is related to fear of decisions made by Georgian citizens abroad.

“Given that Georgia has developed into a parliamentary republic, the role of parliamentary elections in the political life of the country is especially important. These are the main elections that form all branches of power - it is through this mechanism that a vote of confidence is given to the government, and afterward, parliament elects the president. The entire executive branch derives from the results of parliamentary elections.

Therefore, it is extremely important that all our citizens make a conscious decision that is free from direct or indirect pressure - which naturally occurs when a person is located under the jurisdiction of a foreign state. Active engagement with one’s homeland and the environment within the country creates the basis for informed and thoughtful decision-making.”

According to Matikashvili, this change is aimed at preventing obstacles to the free expression of will abroad.

“Our state cannot demand that another state ensure election procedures in the conditions prescribed by Georgian law,” he stated.

The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has reviewed the draft of the new Election Code in the first reading.

The new legislation introduces significant changes to a number of electoral norms and procedures.

One of the main changes is that Georgian citizens living abroad will no longer be able to vote from abroad in parliamentary elections. As in municipal elections, parliamentary elections will be held only within the state borders of Georgia.

The authors and initiators of the draft law are Georgian Dream MPs:Archil Gorduladze, Tornike Cheishvili, Rati Ionatamishvili, Aluda Gudushauri, Davit Matikashvili, Guram Macharashvili, Akaki Aladashvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili, and Aleksandre Tabatadze.