Ruling Georgian Dream party MP resigns
Sophio Katsarava is among those 12 MPs, who left the ruling party after the bill proposing amendments to the electoral code was voted down on Thursday. Photo: Parliament of Georgia/Facebook
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Sophio Katsarava, the former chairperson of the foreign relations committee of the parliament of Georgia has resigned as MP.
Katsarava initially announced she was leaving the ruling Georgian Dream party after a bill proposing amendments to the electoral code was scrapped on Thursday
Today I have made a very difficult decision, however, from my viewpoint, this is the only right decision”, she announced on Facebook.
Katsarava thanked her former teammates and wished them good luck. She also wished Georgia prosperity.
The ruling party-proposed bill aimed to holding 2020 parliamentary elections fully proportional, was scrapped, as only 101 MPs voted for it instead of mandatory 113 in the 150-member parliament.
All of those 40 MPs who either voted against or abstained were from the ruling party, while all of the opposition legislators voted in favour.
After the rejection of the bill, a total of 12 MPs, including Vice Parliament Speaker Tamar Chugoshvili left the ruling party, while opposition and demonstrators are holding rallies in front of the parliament of Georgia demanding snap proportional elections.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia spoke of the importance of a proportional electoral system yesterday, saying it would “qualitatively change” the political culture in Georgia. “We should remember that the country will have a proportional system as we have stated it in the constitution starting 2024”, Gakharia stated.
Three MPs of the Conservative party have left the Georgian Dream ruling party after the parliament rejected the ruling party proposed election bill yesterday on the transition to a fully proportional electoral system from 2020.
Vice Parliament Speaker of Georgia Tamar Chugoshvili, MPs Irina Pruidze, Giorgi Mosidze, Dimitri Tskitishvili, Tamar Khulordava, Sophio Katsarava and Zaza Khutsishvili have left the Georgian Dream ruling party after the party proposed election bill was scrapped earlier today. The bill which offered the conduct of 2020 parliamentary elections with a fully proportional voting system and a zero threshold has been voted for by 101 MPs instead of mandatory 113 earlier today.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party proposed bill on holding of 2020 parliamentary elections with a fully proportional voting system and a zero threshold has been scrapped as 101 MPs instead of mandatory 113 voted for it. 141 of total 150 MPs have been registered for the vote earlier today. However, 37 abstained from voting and three voted against.
Opposition and civic activists are holding demonstrations today amid the parliament’s rejection of the electoral bill aimed to move from a mixed electoral system to a proportional one. Some parliamentary and nonparliamentary opposition parties will gather in front of the parliament of Georgia in downtown Tbilisi at 3 p.m., while another part - at nearby Republic Square at 5 p.m.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has nominated candidates for parliamentary posts after 12 of its MPs left the party in the wake of the rejection of the GD-proposed election bill on November 14.
MP of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Akaki Zoidze, who chaired the Healthcare Committee in parliament, has announced he is leaving the ruling party and politics, citing the rejection of the GD-proposed election bill as the reason.
MP of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Aleksandre Erkvania has announced he is leaving the ruling party, citing the rejection of the GD-proposed election bill as one of the reasons.
Georgia has new ambassadors to Great Britain, Germany and Greece, Georgian Foreign Ministry reported earlier today.
Georgia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom Sophio Katsarava has presented her credentials to Queen Elizabeth II virtually. Katsarava is the first ambassador to present the credentials to Her Majesty by video link from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle.