Ruling party confirms disagreement with PM Gakharia over Melia’s case
The ruling Georgian Dream party will nominate a candidate for the premiership tomorrow. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
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The ruling Georgian Dream party has confirmed a disagreement with recently resigned PM Giorgi Gakharia over the arrest of opposition leader Nika Melia.
The head of the Georgian Dream ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze stated earlier today that the reasons named by Gakharia why Melia should not be arrested were ‘weak.’
A state which is unable to ensure the enforcement of law, especially when criminals pose such tough challenges, cannot constitute a state,” Kobakhidze said.
Kobakhidze stated that Gakharia’s resignation is ‘regrettable.’
He urged Melia to act in line with law, ‘otherwise he will be arrested.’
The PM’s resignation means that his cabinet is also suspended and the parliament will have to approve a new PM and cabinet in two weeks. If parliament fails to approve the new gov't, the president will dismiss the parliament and snap parliamentary elections will be scheduled. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Kobakhidze said that the political council of the Georgian Dream party will gather tomorrow and they will nominate a candidate for the premiership the same day.
Parliament suspended the MP status of Melia on February 16, 2021 allowing the prosecution to demand his arrest claiming the latter has not posted bail for his release in a case that dates back to the June 2019 protests.
Tbilisi City Court ruled yesterday that Melia be remanded into custody for failure to post bail, per the request of the country’s Prosecutor’s Office.
Gakharia stated earlier today that he resigned because he failed to make an agreement with the ruling Georgian Georgian Dream party over Melia’s issue.
He said that Melia’s arrest was legal. However, he stated that the detention amid the current political crisis would threaten further destabilisation.
Opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia, who was named the reason for PM Giorgi Gakharia recent resignation, has stated that the opposition ‘welcomes’ the PM’s decision, but it is not sufficient.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has announced his resignation earlier today, saying that the step is connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP, the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia. Gakharia has stated that Melia violated the law and has been engaged in sparking tension in the country.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell fears that the possible arrest of opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia will further deepen the Georgian political crisis and create additional barriers between the ruling party and the opposition to achieve an election agreement.
The ruling Georgian Dream party will support the suspension of the MP immunity for opposition United National Movement party chair Nika Melia as he has refused to pay the bail. The Chief Prosecutor’s Office asked parliament to suspend MP status for Melia to then request his arrest from the court on Friday.
The ruling Georgian Dream party MP Nikoloz Samkharadze stated earlier today that ‘as far as I know PM Giorgi Gakharia not only resigned but also left the Georgian Dream.’
The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement today, saying the ministry is concerned by the political situation in Georgia and reduced chance of dialogue, encouraging the Georgian authorities and opposition to refrain from actions jeopardising the country's future prospects.
Georgian opposition parties which won seats in the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections and who demand repeat elections have postponed a rally on February 25 to ‘give time to the ruling Georgian Dream party’ to resume talks.
Georgian opposition parties which won seats in the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections and who demand repeat elections have postponed a rally on February 25 to ‘give time to the ruling Georgian Dream party’ to resume talks.
Former opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia has been arrested by police earlier today for refusal to post bail shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili prime minister and his cabinet late yesterday. Melia was arrested in his office in the UNM headquarters in Tbilisi by special unit servicemen. Police allegedly used pepper spray in the room.