Parliament approves 14 of 19 candidates as lifelong judges on Supreme Court amid protests

The voting took place amid protests outside the parliament building. Photo: parliament of Georgia press office.

Agenda.ge, 12 Dec 2019 - 17:42, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian parliament has approved 14 of total 19 candidates for lifelong judges of the Georgian Supreme Court amid protests of the opposition and civic groups. 

 Prosecutor General Shalva Tadumadze, his deputy Mamuka Vasadze and Secretary of Georgia’s High Council of Justice Giorgi Mikautadze are among those approved. 

 The new judges of the Georgian Supreme Court are as follows:

  •  Merab Gabinashvili
  • Miranda Eremadze
  • Mamuka Vasadze
  • Maia Vachadze
  • Tamar Zambakhidze
  • Shalva Tadumadze
  • Vladimer Kakabadze
  • Levan Mikaberidze
  • Giorgi Mikautadze
  • Nugzar Skhirtladze
  • Lali Papiashvili
  • Nino Kadagidze
  • Letevan Tsintsadze
  • Aleksandre Tsuladze

Controversies over the candidates of the Supreme Court started at the end of 2018. Photo: Supreme Court press office. 

 The rejected candidates are: 

  •  Tamar Alania
  • Gocha Jeiranashvili
  • Lasha Kochiashvili
  • Shota Getsadze
  • Paata Silagadze

 One candidate, current head of the Georgian Constitutional Court Zaza Tavadze, withdrew his candidacy shortly before the voting. 

 The opposition and civil groups have been opposing the 20-person list of candidates, saying several of the candidates were government-affiliated or used to deliver unfair verdicts in the past.