The strengthening of parliamentary control is one of the important parts of the plan proposed by the European Commission (recommendation 2). In order to receive the candidate country status for EU membership, the Government will be obliged to ensure "perfect operation of all state institutions, to strengthen their independence and effective accountability, as well as their democratic oversight functions." Based on the plan presented by the Chairman of the Georgian Dream party, in order to fulfill this obligation, a working group was established at the Parliamentary Committee of Procedural Issues and Rules.[1] The Democracy Research Institute has been involved in the work of the group.

On August 9, the Democracy Research Institute submitted written opinions relating to the strengthening of parliamentary control to the Committee. The recommendations submitted concern: MPs’ questions, general rules of the debate, interpellation, attendance of an official at the plenary sitting, trust group, public activity report of the State Security Service of Georgia, parliamentary committees, violations of the Rules and Procedures by other officials and sanctions.

The purpose of the recommendations is to strengthen the parliamentary oversight mechanisms by increasing the accountability of state agencies:

 

• The accountable person should be obliged to attend committee meetings based on the request of a faction or the majority of those present at the meeting.
• The provision of the Rules and Procedures of the Parliament of Georgia, which establishes a different procedure for summoning the Prime Minister of Georgia, Prosecutor General of Georgia, Head of the State Security Service of Georgia to the committee session, should be abolished.
• Specific measures should be provided in the Rules and Procedures in case of violation of the Rules and Procedures by officials.
• The resolution of the Parliament of Georgia, passed after submitting an activity report by an agency accountable to the Parliament, should be substantiated and should clearly reflect all the circumstances that led the legislative body to evaluate the report positively or negatively.
• Issues related to the trust group should be regulated in a new manner. The trust group should have the obligation to submit a detailed activity report to the Parliament of Georgia.

• The right of state agencies to refuse to provide information to the trust group should be restricted.
• During interpellation procedure, the addressee of the question should have the obligation to provide a written answer to the question sent under the interpellation procedure, at least 5 working days before the session.
• After the interpellation procedure, the Parliament of Georgia should pass a resolution.
• After hearing the Prime Minister of Georgia under interpellation procedure, the Parliament should be authorized to hold a vote of no confidence in the Government of Georgia in accordance with Article 161 of the Rules and Procedures of the Parliament of Georgia.
• Only the head of the State Security Service of Georgia should have the obligation to present an annual report of the service.

The recommendations offered by the Democracy Research Institute are not comprehensive or final.

 

 

[1] parliament.ge (website), a working group on the strengthening of parliamentary control mechanisms was established in the Committee of Procedural Issues and Rules, available at: https://parliament.ge/media/news/saprotseduro-sakitkhta-da-tsesebis-komitetshi-saparlamento-kontrolis -mekanizmebis-gadzlierebastan-dakavshirebuli-samushao-jgufi-sheikmna, 02.09.2022.