session-hall-parliament-2012-10-21

The session hall in parliament in Kutaisi. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The parliament in Georgia will overturn President Saakashvili’s veto against two judicial reform bills on May 1.

Irina Imerlishvili, chair of the committee on procedural issues, said at a press conference Thursday that parliament will vote for the two bills again at next Wednesday’s session.

She said, according to the procedures, parliament has ten working days to overturn a president’s veto or adopt the drafts with the president’s remarks.

However, she said parliament doesn’t plan to take heed of Saaksahvili’s remarks.

“We do not plan to share the remarks, but to overturn the veto,” she said.

April 23, the president made use of his right to block two bills about court reform. One bill is about how to staff the High Council of Justice, and the second one is about restricting the rights of an accused to choose a jury trial.

Since the Georgian Dream coalition holds a majority of seats in parliament, it will face no difficulties in enforcing legislative amendments, even if the president blocks them. This was demonstrated earlier this year, when it introduced a mass amnesty by overturning the president’s veto.