Georgia, Tbilisi, May 2 /Trend N.Kirtzkhlia/
The Apparatus of the State Minister for Diaspora Affairs is working on a legislative initiative to establish the Diaspora Parliament. It will continue to exist under the the Apparatus of State Minister.
MP Papuna Davitaia briefed members of the Parliamentary Committee on the Affairs of Compatriots and the South Caucasus with the initiative on Wednesday. He said the models that exist in Italy, Finland and Croatia is taken as a basis.
According to the draft submitted by the Minister of State, Diaspora Parliament will consist of 45 members, who will be elected by compatriots living abroad with the appropriate status.
Thirty deputies will be elected by them and 15 - will be appointed by the Minister of State. The structure of the parliament will consist of offices and committees established by the territorial and thematic basis.
Diaspora Parliament will meet once a year in Kutaisi. It will have a chairman, who at the same time will be an honorary member of the Parliament of Georgia.
As Davitaia noted, as number of persons have the status of compatriot, each country will have a maximum of three seats in parliament.
"We want our compatriots living in different countries around the world feel that they are also involved in the life of the country" Davitaia said.