sight, and parliament can also set up ad hoc investigatory commissions. MPs have a right to send questions to members of the executive who are obliged to answer. Government members are also required to attend plenary or committee sessions whenever summoned, to answer questions of MPs and to report on their activities.70 The Parliamentary Rules of Procedure further highlight oversight as one of parliament’s “constitutional prerogatives”, giving it the mandate to control the activities of the government and other bodies or officials that are accountable to it. Parliament is also mandated to oversee compliance of normative acts adopted by the executive with the Constitution and other laws.71 Under the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, both individual MPs and parliamentary bodies have rights and powers designed to facilitate their supervisory activities. Aside from having the right to send queries to executive bodies mentioned earlier, MPs must also be given access to all types of information essential to the exercise of their duties unless stipulated otherwise by the law. MPs can attend the sessions of executive bodies and draw their attention to violations of law. They must be given unhindered access to all administrative buildings unless stipulated otherwise by the law. The speaker of parliament can access all penitentiary institutions without a special permit and can also delegate this right to any MP. Parliamentary committees are to review the work of the government and other bodies accountable to the legislature, be given access to all the relevant information and are to present their findings to parliament. Government members and officials from other bodies accountable to parliament are required to present all requested materials to the committees in due time and to appear at committee sessions in person and answer MP questions whenever summoned.72 The president is required to provide annual reports about the state of affairs in the country to parliament,73 while the prime minister is required to report to parliament annually on the implementation of the government programme. The legislature can also request that the prime minister submit an extraordinary report, which must be presented within 15 days.74
70 71
72 73 74
Parliament can establish investigatory commissions that have extensive powers under the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure. An investigatory commission can be established in order to examine alleged violations committed by public officials or to examine matters of particular importance. Parliament can also opt to establish an anti-corruption investigatory commission with the specific task of dealing with alleged instances of corruption. Representatives of the parliamentary majority must not comprise more than a half of the members of an investigatory commission. Appearing before an investigatory commission is mandatory. State bodies, public officials, private organizations and individuals are required to provide an investigatory commission with all the necessary materials and the commission must also be given access to the materials of a criminal
The Constitution, Articles 48, 56, 59, 60. The Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, Articles 2-3, 202. Id., Articles 15, 17, 42-44. The Constitution, Article 73. The Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, Articles 194, 196.
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Georgia National Integrity System Assessment