GYLA Responds to the Controversy about the President’s Annual Address

2013-02-08 07:27

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) responds to the controversy about the president’s annual address in the parliament. During yesterday’s sitting of the bureau of the parliament the Speaker of the Parliament explained the following: “The annual report of the President, scheduled in the Parliament for tomorrow, was postponed. The President will have opportunity to exercise his right under the Constitution; however, it is the position of the majority to let it happen after the appropriate decision will be made concerning the Constitutional changes or the president and his team will clearly and expressly articulate their position about giving back to the parliament the right that it is entitled to.”

GYLA would like to explain that on the one hand it is the obligation of the president of Georgia to report to parliament on the condition of the nation, while on the other hand it is the obligation of the parliament to hear report. the Parliamentary Regulations stipulate that the time of the annual address of the president “is generally the first day of plenary sittings of the Spring session”. Such plenary sitting was held this week.

The stipulation cited above can be violated only under exceptional circumstances and when there is a reasonable justification. GYLA believes that the explaining made during yesterday’s bureau sitting and the motivation for the postponement for an unidentified period of time may not be viewed as exceptional circumstances and an acceptable reason for violation of the general rule.

Therefore, we call on the parliament of Georgia to take into consideration the Regulations and fulfill its obligation by giving in a timely manner the President of Georgia an opportunity to deliver his annual address as envisaged by the Constitution, which may not be achieved by any other means (including today’s address of the president in the National Library).