Parliament passed with 114 votes with its third and final reading constitutional amendment, stripping the President of his right to appoint the new government without Parliament’s approval.

According to the unanimously approved amendment, in case of cabinet’s resignation or if it is sacked by the President the latter will have no right to appoint new government without Parliament’s approval; the sitting government will have to continue performing its duties before the new cabinet is confirmed by the Parliament.

The amendment also specifies clause of the constitution, which bans the President to dissolve the Parliament within six months before the presidential elections. The new formulation of the clause says that the President will have no right to dissolve the Parliament in a period from May 1 till inauguration of newly elected president. Presidential elections are set for October, 2013; it is up to President Saakashvili to set an exact date of election.

Speaking after the vote, Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili said that with this constitutional amendment the Parliament restored its power. “I want to congratulate Georgian people on it ,” he said.

Usupashvili also said that the approval of this constitutional amendment was paving the way for the President Saakashvili to deliver his annual state of the nation address in the Parliament.

Consultations on the date of the presidential address will start as soon as President Saakashvili signs the constitutional amendment into law, Usupashvili said.