NGOs are protesting signing of the unconstitutional changes concerning vote buying that were made in the organic law of Georgia on Political Unions of Citizens and the Criminal Code of Georgia on December 28, 2011. 

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Transparency Internationa – Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Coalition for Free Choice and the Open Society – Georgia Foundation held a press-conference on December 28 where they expressed their opinion about the bills adopted by the parliament and called on the President of Georgia, Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili to prevent violation of the principles of utmost importance guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and the international law and to use the power of veto granted by the Constitution. Nevertheless, the President signed the draft of legislative changes.

As we believe that the legislative changes contradict the Constitution of Georgia, NGOs held a protest rally outside the President’s Administration with a slogan We Protest!