Ruling party MP claims Public Defender backing opposition, says party has “no pick” for the post
Ruling party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze on Thursday slammed the country’s Ombudsperson for her “anti-state” activities. Photo: Mamuka Mdinaradze’s Facebook page
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Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the state legislature, on Thursday slammed the country’s Ombudsperson Nino Lomjaria for “backing the radical opposition”, adding GD had not yet selected its candidate for the position after Lomjaria’s term in office expires in the coming autumn.
In comments on Lomjaria, who was nominated for the post by the GD in 2017 and later approved by the parliament, Mdinaradze stressed that the public advocate was “actively engaged in anti-state activities, backing the plans of the radical United National Movement party to otherthrow the Government".
Speaking about procedures for the election of a public advocate, Mdinaradze said that the approval of a new candidate required 90 votes in the 150-member state legislature, noting that the Georgian Dream would need the opposition’s support to push its nominee to take the post.
Lomjaria was one of the four candidates proposed by civil society organisations to former Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze in November 2017.
Kobakhidze suggested then that Lomjaria was selected for her “neutrality and professionalism”.
In the final note, Mdinaradze said that the ruling party was “well-aware Lomjaria would never back the GD, but it was a part of democracy”.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has released the 2021 Human Rights Report lamenting “threatening and hostile” environment for reporters and media outlets, and criticising legislative changes in the judiciary of the country.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has commended Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria’s work on the case of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, noting that attempts to undermine or threaten the advocate's office are unacceptable.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze has accused a medical panel invited by public advocate Nino Lomjaria of coming to a ‘fake conclusion’ about the health of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, stating that this may cause legal trouble for Lomjaria.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has responded to frequent attacks on journalists during the last weeks in Georgia, noting that instead of condemning such actions, political officials often show disrespectful attitude towards journalists.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday, announced that the party would not be presenting a candidate for the position of Public Defender, and the nomination of a candidate would be “completely entrusted” to the opposition and civil sector.