Draft amendments to the Constitution of Georgia approved in the second reading

The draft amendments to the Constitution of Georgia were approved in the second reading, and at the plenary session of the parliament on June 23, 115 deputies voted for it, while only three opposed. Unlike the previous meeting, where the bill was adopted in the first reading, this time deputies from European Georgia did not take part in its approval, who had previously stated that with their support for the amendments in the first reading they gave the government a chance to fulfill its obligations under the agreement of March 8 and to release their associate George Rurua from imprisonment. Even before the meeting, representatives of the parliamentary majority confidently stated that without the votes of the parliamentary opposition they would freely adopt the bill in the second reading. Interestingly, before the plenary meeting in the media and social networks, the next statements of a number of Western politicians and legislators appeared, in which they urged the Georgian dream government to release Rurua. This gave reason to the member of the European Georgia Giga Bokeria to once again declare that George Rurua considers political prisoners not only the Georgian opposition, but also the Western world, and that it is clear to everyone that Rurua was arrested for political reasons. The fact that the Georgian government, under pressure from the West, sooner or later will have to make concessions and release George Rurua, today are sure and former associates of the Georgian dream. As on June 21, the National Movement did not take part in the vote. Opposition deputies say they will support the bill in the third reading only if Rurua is released. After the meeting, parliamentary majority deputy Irakli Kobakhidze said that the National Movement with all its offshoots once again demonstrated its destructive essence. He also expressed confidence that the ruling party would fulfill this obligation without the support of the opposition. The adoption of amendments to the Constitution of Georgia is provided for by the agreement of March 8, which the opposition and the ruling party concluded at the residence of the US ambassador with the participation and assistance of foreign diplomats. In the third reading, the bill is scheduled to be approved next week.