ODIHR highlights value of professional and ethical standards for parliamentarians at Georgia conference
The importance of a credible code of conduct for parliamentarians as a tool for building trust in democracy was highlighted by Georgian members of parliament and civil society at a conference organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliament of Georgia in Tbilisi on 15 July 2013.
Participants examined the benefits and challenges of creating a code of ethics, while experts from Austria, France, Poland and the United Kingdom shared their own experiences and examples of good practice.
“Ethical reforms and the regulation of parliamentary behaviour are increasingly recognized as essential elements to securing public trust in the efficacy, transparency and equity of parliamentary assemblies,” said David Usupashvili, Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia.
During the discussions, ODIHR presented the Georgian translation of its Background Study: Professional and Ethical Standards for Parliamentarians, which provides an overview of practical measures that OSCE participating States can take in promoting ethical behaviour among parliamentarians.
"The considerable number of high-level cases of ethical malpractice by parliamentarians from many OSCE participating States is a worrying but clear indicator of the need for and value of binding and enforceable professional and ethical standards in key democratic institutions," said Thomas Vennen, the Head of ODIHR’s Democratization Department.