Ruling Majority Rejects Draft Law on Lustration
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 16 Feb.'07 / 20:18

The ruling majority has rejected an opposition-sponsored draft law on lustration that would exclude former Communist Party functionaries and officers of and collaborators with the ex-Soviet secret service KGB from serving in state structures of Georgia.

Influential lawmaker from the ruling National Movement party Giga Bokeria hinted before voting that there was disagreement within the ruling majority over the issue that led to the rejection of the proposal.

MP Bokeria said that personally he would support an “even tougher” law on lustration, but added that “debates within the ruling majority are not yet over” regarding the issue.
 
He went on to say that he hopes the draft law will be passed by the current, sitting parliament sometime in the future.

The draft law, which was proposed by the Democratic Front parliamentary faction, says that those who worked in ex-Soviet special services, held high positions in the Soviet Communist Party, or served as KGB agents will be banned from holding key positions in the government, the President’s Administration, and the Defense and Interior Ministries. Those wishing to run for elective office will have to publicize a full record of their past links with the Soviet authorities, according to the proposal.

The opposition lawmakers admitted that the law may have little effect in practice, as Georgia has no tools to identify people who served in the KGB. The main list of agents is currently in Moscow and unavailable to the Georgian side.

“But this law is important because it will mean condemnation of the Soviet regime and cutting links with our Soviet legacy,” MP Kakha Kukava from the Democratic Front parliamentary faction told lawmakers.

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