US congratulates Georgia on constitutional amendment

The United States congratulates Georgia's leadership and its parliamentary majority and minority on an "important, bipartisan" amendment to the country's constitution, the State Department said. "Today the Georgian parliament voted unanimously to approve an amendment that, consistent with international constitutional norms, removes the president's unilateral power to appoint a new government without parliamentary approval," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement. "It paves the way for the consolidation of Georgian democracy and renewed focus on the many issues facing the government today. We are encouraged by the political consensus underlying this agreement and urge all political actors to maintain a constructive, forward-looking tone in public discourse, in the interest of ensuring further progress for the good of Georgia and its citizens," Ventrell said.