The President of Georgia will not use her right to veto the amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses. As Salome Zourabichvili said today, she listened to the arguments of all parties before making such decision.

The changes can’t be deemed to violate principles of law and international standards either, President highlighted, stressing that legal grounds for using her veto power “in this specific case proved insufficient”.

However, Zourabichvili said the adoption of new rules, that toughened penalties for police disobedience and petty hooliganism, “could be perceived politically untimely” as the legislature has first to move forward on amnesty law, judiciary and electoral reforms.

“The use of veto must be based on well-established legal arguments. In this respect, the new amendments do not contradict our Constitution, nor can they be considered a violation of any legal principle or a disregard for any international standard. Thus, in this particular case, the legal basis for veto was insufficient. However, in the future, similar process may allow the President to use this tool effectively if needed.

Finally, as the President of the country, I should stress that the law enforcement agencies represent a state institution on which the order and stability of any democratic country stands. Elementary respect for them is a necessary civic duty, however, this can be achieved not only through sanctions and fines, but also through civic awareness”, - concluded Salome Zourabichvili.