The new criminal cases shall be added to the cases, prescribed under the Law on Jury. Deriving from this fact, the changes shall be adopted to the Criminal Code of Practice, which the Committee on Legal Issues discussed at the sitting today. The issue implies even the cases, when the criminal cases concern former or incumbent high officials and the persons, who are convicted of the crimes under the Article 2 of the Law On Incompatibility of Interests and Corruption in Public Service.

The initiator of the changes is the Government and the issue was introduced by the Deputy-Minister of Justice, Alexander Baramidze. According to him, under the changes, adopted in 2009, the temporary terms of consideration by jury were defined, and the changes imply expansion of the area of consideration. The Faction “United National Movement” introduced the alternative draft. According to the draft, the gradual expansion of area of consideration of jury will apply to the territorial units as well and Batumi will be added to Tbilisi and Kutaisi. The alternative also applied to enactment of the Article, which allows the person to be examined by the Court only.

Consideration ended with the concrete result. The majority considered the bigger part of the alternative and reflected it to the draft. Namely, the trials by the jury will be as well held in Batumi. In order to provide more information about the processes, the TV and radio broadcasters will be allowed to air the trials. As to enactment of the Article on examination of the person by the Court, it was defined with September 1, 2013.

The Committee also considered the initiative by Koba Davitashvili, the changes to the law on Prosecutor’s Office. The main essence of the changes concern appointment of the Prosecutor General, which shall be appointed and dismissed, with the Agreement by the Government, by the Prime Minister with the term of 5 years. The reason for dismissal of the Prosecutor General may also become the fact of violation of the Constitution or offence by him/her. Except the author, all attendees agreed to expulse the norm of appointment with 5 years term in the event of violation of the Constitution. The opposition members of the Committee and the Deputy-Minister of Justice agreed with the introduced approach. Finally, the Committee voted for the alternative version and adopted. Koba Davitashvili did not support the decision of the Committee.