According to the chairman of Georgian Dream, Irakli Kobakhidze, if the European Commission removes the condition of de-oligarchization from the 12-point recommendations list, the parliamentary majority will not go through with the “Law on De-Oligarchization.”
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“Adopting this law was never our initiative. As you are aware, this was European Commission’s condition. If the European Commission shares the Venice Commission’s view that this personalized law is unnecessary and removes the de-oligarchization entry from the 12-point plan, we will not proceed with enacting this law. Our stance is very simple. The Venice Commission says one thing and the European Commission says another. If the European Commission agrees with the Venice Commission, in this case, we will no longer enforce this law and withdraw it in February,’’ stated Kobakhidze.
Yesterday, June 13, the Parliament, with 81 votes against 2, adopted the draft law “On De-oligarchization” with the second reading. The ruling party ignored the final opinion published a day earlier by the Venice Commission, which stated that this law is neither democratic nor an effective answer to the problem of oligarchization. In the commission's assessment, the possible arbitrary application of the law's provisions could seriously threaten the rule of law and political pluralism and not do much for countering oligarchic influence.
“A personalized de-oligarchisation law like the one being assessed risks becoming a dangerous tool in the hands of those in power to harass political opponents…the Venice Commission recommends pursuing the “systemic” approach,” – writes the Commission in its final reports and recommends against adopting this law.
After all this, Irakli Kobakhidze says they will support this law on the third hearing.
March 1, 2024, has been designated as the date this law enters force. Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili points out, that there is still time for the European Commission to share its own opinion “If the European Commission agrees with the opinion of the Venice Commission and removes the personal approach from the recommendation, removes the de-oligarchization clause, of course, there will be no need for the law.”
What European Commission’s clause on de-oligarchization says
De-oligarchization is the fifth among the 12 conditions outlined by the European Commission, which the Georgian government must fulfill in order for the country to obtain the status of a candidate country for EU membership.
“Implement the commitment to “de-oligarchization” by eliminating by eliminating the excessive influence of vested interests in economic, political, and public life,” is written in the recommendations of the European Commission.
The European Commission never requested the adoption of a legislative regulation on de-oligarchization. Therefore, the statement of the chairman of Georgian Dream, Irakli Kobakhidze, that the adoption of the law on de-oligarchization was the idea of the European Commission, is false.
The leaders of Georgian Dream named as oligarchs the ex-president of Georgia, the imprisoned Mikheil Saakashvili and his mother, Giuli Alasania, the founder of TBC Bank and the Lelo party - Mamuka Khazaradze, and the former minister of defense, the owner of TV Formula - Davit Kezerashvili. The ruling party claims that the law “On De-oligarchization” will apply to them and not Bidzina Ivanishvili. In the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on June 9, 2022, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former prime minister and founder of Georgian Dream, is referred to as the “only oligarch” of Georgia. Last year, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, urged the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to formally distance herself from this notion of the resolution.
