The President of Georgia, members of parliament, ministers and their deputies, as well as the chairmen of the governments of the autonomous republics of Abkhazia and Adjara, members of the Supreme Council, members of the government, and their deputies will no longer be required to pass a drug test. The requirement for parliamentary candidates to pass a drug test is also canceled.
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According to the changes initiated by the Georgian Dream deputies, the use of narcotic drugs and evasion of mandatory drug tests will no longer be grounds for the early termination of the authority of the head of the anti-corruption bureau.
The chairman of the Georgian Dream faction, Mamuka Mdinaradze, emphasized the part of the legislative changes that involves removing the obligation for deputy candidates to pass a drug test.
“I think that there will be a general consensus on this issue because it is a really insulting form when those who want to be on the parliamentary list have to pass a drug test. As soon as one question is asked, I will be the first to run and pass the test by a hair,” Mdinaradze told journalists.
The Girchi party welcomes the legislative changes. “Until now, the urine of MPs and various officials was checked for purity, and our colleagues often complained about it. To remove this discussion, it seems that the Georgian Dream decided to introduce a draft law,” said MP Iago Khvichia.
Independent MP Teona Akubardia does not see any problem in passing the drug test. “The drug test, among other things, is an opportunity for the public to know information about public servants, especially in Parliament,” she says.
According to the current legislation, the aforementioned officials are obliged to undergo a drug test within the period set by the head of the anti-corruption bureau and to submit the relevant certificate to the anti-corruption bureau within 3 days of its issuance. A fine of 500 GEL has been established for non-fulfillment of this obligation.
The authors of the legislative changes are members of the parliamentary majority: Anri Okhanashvili, Aluda Ghudushauri, Irakli Shatakishvili, Davit Matikashvili, Rati Yonatamishvili, Mikheil Sarjveladze, Guram Macharashvili, and Aleksandre Tabatadze.
