Sukhum/Agency Caucasus – Changes to the political parties act of Abkhazia have recently come under considerable discussion two years ahead of the presidential elections.
A draft was introduced by the parliament commission to the People’s Assembly of Abkhazia for discussion largely about amendment of the political parties act simultaneously with the elections act, a choice between the bipartite and multiparty systems, assurance of gender equality, conditions that apply to the way parties are founded.
The political parties act was to be taken seriously, said Natella Akaba, Secretary of the People’s Assembly, "because we know from the 2005 presidential elections that it can be quite turbulent; therefore, we have to take a far more careful approach to the next elections that will be taken in 2010. As a member of the assemblage of democratic countries, Abkhazia must have a new act that will regulate its political diversity."
"The society should have a clear understanding of the goal behind having a two-party or multiparty system. To a certain degree, this is the thing on which it depends to specify the future of the Abkhazian system of political parties as well as of elections. The draft bill should attach importance to sexual equality, as well. Abkhazia should study the way women around the world were given equal opportunities to participate in the political life. However, the bill should be drafted in an authentically Abkhazian way. The political parties act of a country must not be copied from abroad."
Batal Tabagua, Chair of the Central Elections Committee of Abkhazia, said that work with the political parties act should be carried out along with the modification of the electoral system.
Dmitri Shamba, Acting Secretary General of the President, spoke about the points in the draft bill that contradicted the election law. "The parts of the election law that deal with the registration of a political party and of its regional branches, its financial source(s), and donations to it are contradictory. In Abkhazia, the minimum number of members should be reduced to 1000 from 1500 to set up a political party."
Manana Gurguliya, Director of the state-owned news agency Apsnipress, suggested that the draft bill should be made available in the news media for public evaluation: "The survival of a political party should be determined by its competency."
Abkhazia has 13 officially registered political parties: Adygilara (Unity), The Movement by Abkhazian Mothers for Social Justice and Peace, the Russian Congress of Assembly, the Abkhazian Communist Party, the Abkhazian People’s Party, Aytayra (Re-birth), Amtsahara, the Apsni Republic Party, the United Abkhazian Movement, the Abkhazian Social-Democratic Party, Ayayra (Victory), the Abkhazian Forum of National Unity, and the Abkhazian Economic Development Party. KU/ÖZ/FT
