GD Chair: When the European Commission removes issue of de-oligarchization, we'll repeal this law in February

When the European Commission removes the issue of de-oligarchization from its 12 points, we will repeal this law in February, – Georgian Dream chairman Irakli Kobakhidze, claiming that if the European Commission maintains a personalized approach and leaves the de-oligarchization point in the European recommendations, the law on de-oligarchization will enter into force.

Kobakhidze further stated that there is a contradiction between the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the European Commission. In particular, the chairman of the ruling team believes that the Venice Commission does not like a personalized approach, while the European Commission, on the contrary, requires a personalized approach.

“There is a contradiction between the recommendation of the Venice Commission and the recommendation of the European Commission. If the European Commission and the Venice Commission agree with each other, we will do what the European Commission says, but today the Venice Commission tells us one thing and the European Commission tells us something different.

“In particular, the Venice Commission says that it does not like a personalized approach and says that reforms should be carried out in various areas, which are already being done. The European Commission says we need a personalized approach. The word de-oligarchization also means a personalized approach. So it turns out that the Venice Commission does not like the personalized approach, while the European Commission tells us that we should follow the personalized approach.

“As soon as the European Commission agrees with the Venice Commission and removes the entry on de-oligarchization from its 12 points, we will immediately repeal the law, which will be passed in three readings by the end of this month. We will postpone the law’s enactment until March 1. If the European Commission agrees with the recommendation of the Venice Commission in December, in this case the law adopted by us will be repealed in February, but if the European Commission does not agree with the approach of the Venice Commission, then we will have to adopt this law,” said Kobakhidze.