A delegation from Council of Europe’s (CoE) advisory body for legal and constitutional affairs, Venice Commission, is visiting Tbilisi on October 26-27 to discuss Georgia’s draft of new electoral code.

The Venice Commission, which has been requested by the Georgian Parliament to provide its legal advice on the draft, said that its opinion about the document would be ready for approval by the commission’s plenary session in December.

Georgian ruling party lawmakers have said, that the Parliament would approve the draft of new electoral code only after the Venice Commission delivers its recommendations.

U.S. ambassador to Georgia, John Bass, told the Georgian public broadcaster on October 23: “We’ll all be looking carefully and closely to see how the Venice Commission responds and assesses the amendments to the electoral code.”

He also said that there had been “some tangible” results in efforts to improve electoral environment in the country; he, however, also added: “I’d like to see more tangible results.”

During the visit the four-member delegation from the Venice Commission will be meeting with ruling party lawmakers and opposition representatives, as well as civil society representatives and international community present in the country.