**Transparency International – Georgia Speaks Out Against Parliament Session**
The non-governmental organization Transparency International – Georgia has made a strong statement against the upcoming first session of the newly elected parliament. The group says that holding this session on November 25 is a clear and gross violation of the Constitution of Georgia and the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament.
**Who Should Call the First Session?**
According to Article 38 of the Constitution, the President of Georgia should call the first session of the parliament. However, it appears that the President has not done so. Instead, members of the ruling party are gathering to recognize the powers of the newly elected parliament. This is a problem, as it means that the legitimacy and legality of the election results have not been properly established.
**Election Issues**
The 2024 parliamentary elections were marred by allegations of intimidation, coercion, and control over citizens. Monitoring organizations and political parties filed hundreds of lawsuits against the election results in individual precincts and districts. The European Commission has announced that it will send a special mission to investigate these issues.
**What’s at Stake?**
Two lawsuits have been filed with the Constitutional Court demanding that the elections be declared unconstitutional. The President of Georgia and 30 members of Parliament have also appealed to the court for violating the secrecy of the elections and the right to universal, free elections. Transparency International – Georgia is saying that these issues need to be resolved before the first session of the parliament can take place.
**The Verdict**
Based on all of this, Transparency International – Georgia says that holding the first session of the newly elected parliament on November 25 is a gross violation of the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament. They are calling for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
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