​​​​​​​Gov’t Administration: President “repeatedly rejected” appointment of Gov’t-nominated ambassadors

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili “repeatedly rejected” to appoint Government-nominated ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions over the past year, the Administration of the Government of Georgia said on Tuesday.

The statement came in response to the Presidential Administration’s claim that Zourabichvili had signed the appointments of all nominated candidates for diplomatic missions and representations at international organisations. The statement itself followed earlier allegations by Government members on the President’s alleged refusal to sign the nominations.

In its latest counter-claim to the Presidential office, the Government Administration pointed out the Constitution of Georgia gave it an “exclusive right” to carry out foreign policy by appointing diplomatic representations and adding it would act “in accordance with the law” in the controversy.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, alleged there had been instances where Zourabichvili’s Administration had “not even responded to letters on ambassador appointments”, or refused approvals in writing.

Later on Tuesday, Zourabichvili’s office again responded to the latest Government statement by denying the claim of her refusal to approve the diplomatic appointments. The President’s Administration condemned the “accusations of lying” from the Government over the matter, saying the latter’s statements were causing “unwanted tensions” in the society.

In the response, the Presidential office also said all 12 diplomatic candidates proposed by the Government between January 1, 2021 and March 21, 2022 had been approved by Presidential decrees.