Georgia's ruling party "Georgian Dream" said it's ready to lower the threshold for the parliamentary elections, as the opposition wants, but after the EU gives Georgia the status of a candidate for EU membership.

The leader of the Dream, Irakli Kobakhidze, said this, Novosti-Georgia reports.

Kobakhidze said that the "Dream" is ready to approve the reduction of the passing barrier within a month, if Georgia is granted the status of candidate for EU membership.

"In not more than a month after granting candidate status to Georgia by the European Union, the Parliament will approve in all three readings the constitutional law under which the parliamentary elections in 2024 and afterwards will be fully proportional and have a 2% threshold," Kobakhidze said, noting that the parliamentary majority undertakes this obligation.

Kobakhidze claimed that even the 2% threshold is enough to ensure the victory of the political force.

As the Caucasus service of Radio Liberty notes, Georgia must switch to the proportional representation system from 2024. Under the current constitution, the threshold is 5%. The opposition is demanding that it be lowered to 2%.

A bill with such changes was approved in the first reading in the fall of 2021, but the Georgian Dream has changed its mind.

Kobakhidze insists that lowering the barrier cannot be a condition for granting Georgia the status of candidate, arguing that the 5% barrier operates in most European countries.