Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF version

Georgia's constitution is inadequate, its president too powerful and the country lacks a democratic political culture: the damning verdict of the chair of Europe's constitutional watchdog, Gianni Buquicchio (pictured), currently visiting Tbilisi.

He says, reports InterPressNews, that the country's current constitution does not meet western and contemporary criteria and damned its framers: "Georgia has been working on a constitution since independence, and it is a great pity it couldn’t manage to work out an appropriate constitution in 20 years."

Of Georgia's lack of a democratic culture he said "There is a lack of political culture in Georgia. I mean [of] responsibility. There will always be different opinions, though finally they should be led to constructiveness."

But most damning of all is his description of the current constitutional balance, which reflects the huge increase of powers granted Mikheil Saakashvili in the aftermath of the Rose Revolution of late 2003: "The constitution, adopted since the Rose Revolution, has less balance between the governmental branches. I admit you need a strict control in state policy, though now this policy needs to be softened, and distribution of power is necessary. Balance should be kept between executive, legislative and judicial branches. The rights of the President should be limited, while those of the Parliament should be increased at his expense. The Constitution needs amendments."

Buquicchio heads the Council of Europe's "European Commission for Democracy through Law", better known as the Venice Commission, established to ensure the emerging states of Eastern Europe and the "Post-Soviet Space" adopt democratic constitutions that enshrine civil rights and the rule of law.