President Giorgi Margvelashvili plans to veto the draft constitution and return the bill to the Parliament with his objections, the President’s administration said on October 5.
 
According to the administration, Margvelashvili will propose to the parliamentary majority to allow the parties to form electoral blocs for the next parliamentary elections in 2020; to scrap the so called bonus system, which entails the transfer of votes of the parties that fail to cross the threshold entirely to the winner; and to move to the fully proportional electoral system in 2020, instead of the ruling party-proposed 2024.
 
The President also offers to maintain direct presidential elections and to decide on the matter only after the country moves to a two-chamber Parliament, that is when the country will restore its territorial integrity as envisaged in the constitution.
 
President Margvelashvili announced the plans following his meeting with the ruling party lawmakers on October 4, and his consultations with 20 political parties on October 5.  
 
The ruling party MPs said that they would support the President’s objections only if they concern the first two issues – allowing the parties to form electoral blocs and scrapping the so called bonus system.
 
The President has to submit his objections till October 9. Margvelashvili will make the final decision on his objections based on the Venice Commission opinion, which will be released today.