Parliament will discuss draft amendments to the law on common courts with its third and final reading next week as consultations between Georgian Dream and UNM will continue to try to reach an agreement on the bill, which envisages change of rule of composition of the High Council of Justice, Davit Usupashvili, the parliamentary chairman, said on Monday.

Initially the Parliament was scheduled to discuss the bill with its final reading during a special session on Monday, but President Saakashvili refused to include the issue in the agenda of the special sitting of the legislative body.

Davit Usupashvili, the Parliamentary Chairman, said when opening the special session on Monday that consultations were held between GD and UNM over the past two days in which PM Ivanishvili and UNM parliamentary minority leader Davit Bakradze were involved.

“We have agreed that it would be better if we pass this bill with its third reading next week, when relevant changes are prepared in the Parliament’s regulations,” Usupashvili said.

Parliament’s regulation needs to be amended in order to put it in line with proposals laid out in the bill on common courts; in particular, the parliament’s regulation has to define procedures on selecting and confirming six non-judge members of the High Council of Justice. The UNN parliamentary minority group wants to have its say in the process of selecting these candidates.

“The fact that representatives of the judiciary support the bill is very important, but we are also ready to listen to the views of our political opponents [referring to UNM],” Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili said.

Davit Bakradze, the leader of UNM parliamentary minority group, said that the UNM was ready for further consultations in order to make the bill result of “consensus” between the political forces and to make it fully in line with the Venice Commission’s recommendations.

President Saakashvili said on March 25, that “useful consultations” were held between Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili and UNM parliamentary minority leader Davit Bakradze. 

“Bakradze and Usupashvili are working jointly very well,” he said and added that GD and UNM should agree to put the bill on common courts fully in line with the Venice Commission’s recommendations.