One opposition MP from Alliance of Patriots plans to enter parliament
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MP from a pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots opposition party Avtandil Enukidze has told Rustavi 2 TV channel that he has plans to take up his mandate in parliament.
The Alliance of Patriots opposition party requested parliament on December 21 suspend the status of their four MPs.
Similar to all opposition parties which were voted in during the October 31 parliamentary elections, the Alliance of Patriots claims the elections were fabricated and is demanding repeat elections.
I am and will be the supporter of Alliance of Patriots. However, I do not approve the way of the fight (of the opposition parties). I do not know when I will enter parliament. However, I have no plans not to take up my mandate,” Enukidze said.
Opposition parties say that the elections were fabricated. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Six of eight opposition parties which have won seats in the 150-member parliament – United National Movement-Strength in Unity election bloc, Labour Party, Lelo, European Georgia, Alliance of Patriots, Strategy Agmashenebeli – have requested the suspension of the status of their MPs.
Aleko Elisashvili’s Citizens and Girchi have not yet done the same.
Only one member of Girchi, Zurab Japaridze, has requested the suspension of his MP status.
Along with making the request, the opposition parties are ready to continue election-related talks with the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The diplomatic corps is now mediating talks between the ruling party and the opposition to help the parties end the political crisis.
The ruling party says that no repeat elections will take place as the elections were held ‘in line with democratic standards.’
They say that the recent recognition of the mistake by ISFED NGO in its parallel vote count data is yet further evidence that no fabrication took place.
The Georgian parliament has passed a bill in its first reading earlier today which strips parties of state funding if they refuse to take up their mandates in parliament.
The Alliance of Patriots opposition party has requested the parliament suspend the status of their four MPs.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has initiated a bill which says that if political parties refuse to take up their mandates in parliament they will not receive state funding (or have it suspended for a year), their MPs will not receive salaries and they will not be able to use free media time during municipal and parliamentary elections.
Thirty-six MPs of the United National Movement-Strength in Unity election bloc have officially asked parliament to suspend their status. They claim that the elections were fabricated by the ruling Georgian Dream party and state that they will continue to fight from the street to force the government hold repeat elections. The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) annulled the party lists of five opposition parties earlier per their request yesterday, meaning candidates on the lists would not be able to replace opposition MPs who have officially refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
The US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has told Formula TV channel that she disapproves of a ruling Georgian Dream party-initiated bill which will strip opposition parties of state funding and free media time if they refuse to take up their mandates in parliament.
The parliament of Georgia has suspended the MP status for three of four members of the Alliance of Patriots opposition party earlier today, per the request of the MPs themselves.
Four members of the pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots opposition party, who were on the party’s election list for the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections, have left the party earlier today and entered the parliament amid the opposition’s boycott.