“The Parliamentary Majority is not nominating a candidate for the Public Defender but we entrust the nomination to the Opposition and NGOs”, - the Chair of the Faction “Georgian Dream”, Mamuka Mdinaradze stated at the briefing dedicated to the fulfillment of the 12th EU recommendation – election of the PD.

According to him, regarding the recommendation providing that the independent candidates shall prevail in the nomination of the PD and that the process shall be transparent, the Government pledged to offer as of September 1 to the opposition to hold the inclusive selection of the candidates to ensure the nomination of a person for the position of the PD equally acceptable for the Majority and the opposition and thus, enjoying a high legitimation. The meeting was held with the Parliamentary Opposition and the civil sector and the decision was made based on their positions.

“We made a decision to register an amendment to the Rules of Procedure today, stipulating the general criterion for the assessment of a candidate, implying integrity, impartiality, high reputation, due professional knowledge and practical experience in human rights and fundamental freedoms, and establishing a basis for the Speaker to issue a special ordinance prescribing the rule of assessment of a candidate”, - he stated.

The hereof rule has already been communicated with the Speaker, which allows any person to submit an application; a group composed of the representatives of civil society, including the professional and academic circles will assess each candidate according to the criterion inculcated in the Rules of Procedure; the candidates and the assessments shall be introduced to the Parliamentary subjects, which in their turn, shall nominate to the Parliament for election at least 7 candidates; the upper limit shall not be established.

“The Majority is not nominating a candidate for the Public Defender but we entrust the nomination to the Opposition and NGOs other than the sole case when we may encounter an artificial impediment, sabotage by the opposition through non-nomination of the candidates. To further clarify the issue – if the opposition subjects block all the candidates to impede the fulfillment of the recommendation, in this sole case we reserve a right to nominate a candidate; otherwise, we do not intend to get engaged in this process”, - he added and responding to the initiative of a Political Group “Citizens”, noted that the Majority approves the initiative of MP Levan Ioseliani on the openness of the voting process.