Deputy chairman steps in as chair of Georgia’s Constitutional Court

Deputy Chairman of Georgia’s Constitutional Court Zaza Tavadze has been named acting chairman of the Court.

Tavadze temporarily took the position after the 10-year term of chairman Giorgi Papuashvili expired on September 30.

The new chairman should be elected within a month from today.

Before a new chairman is elected the deputy chairman will act as chairman,” said Giorgi Lomtadze, senior adviser of the Constitutional Court.

Today is the date when three new Constitutional Court judges should take a special oath. Two of these judges were appointed by the President while the other was elected by the Supreme Court Plenum.

• Georgia’s Constitutional Court consists of nine judges. Of these three are appointed by the President, three are elected by Parliament and three are appointed by the Supreme Court.
• Once nine judges are selected they must choose who will be Court Chairperson, two Vice Chairpersons and Secretary of the Constitutional Court.

On September 30 the 10-year term of four former Constitutional Court judges expired. Three have already been replaced by the President and Supreme Court nominees but the fourth judge must be elected by Parliament at its new session after next week's elections. This meant currently Georgia’s Constitutional Court has eight sworn-in judges.

From this eight, one judge should be supported by at least three other judges to be considered the new chairperson, and at least five votes are needed for a candidate to be approved as chairperson.

Lomtadze said if the votes from the current eight judges were divided equally, it was impossible to elect a new chairperson, 

Tavadze will act as chairperson until the ninth judge is approved by Parliament.