Ruling party initiates impeachment against President after unauthorised foreign visit
Kobakhidze claimed the public was “aware” of Zourabichvili’s “radically different attitude” towards process related to the country obtaining the European Union membership candidate status. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the Political Council of the party had decided to initiate an impeachment procedure against President Salome Zourabichvili over her “gross violation” of the constitution through her departure on an official visit abroad without the Government’s authorisation.
As you know, the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, grossly violated the constitution of Georgia and started a series of visits to foreign countries without the Government's consent. According to the constitution of Georgia, only the Government of Georgia is authorised to implement both domestic and foreign policy of the country”, Kobakhidze said.
Kobakhidze claimed the public was “aware” of Zourabichvili’s “radically different attitude” towards process related to the country obtaining the European Union membership candidate status.
“Her stance is that Georgia did not deserve the candidate status last year. Moreover, according to her statement, the Parliament and the Government are only formally fulfilling the conditions of the European Union, which means that, in her opinion, Georgia does not deserve the status even now”, he said.
On the backdrop of such an attitude, it is obvious that any European visit of the President is counterproductive in terms of Georgia receiving the candidate status and directly opposes the efforts of the Georgian Government to gain for Georgia the said status”, the ruling party head continued.
Kobakhidze acknowledged the impeachment required the support of 100 MPs and therefore had no prospect of implementation without votes from the domestic “radical” opposition.
Despite this, at the meeting of the Political Council of the party, we made a decision to initiate the impeachment procedure against the President. First of all, this is our responsibility before the constitution. Turning a blind eye to gross violations of the constitution undermines the rule of law and the democratic constitutional system, which we cannot allow”, he concluded.
The Georgian Government Administration on Wednesday said the Government had rejected requests by Zourabichvili’s office for approval of her official visits to Germany, Ukraine, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Israel.
However, the President on Thursday departed for a visit to Germany, as her Administration said she was starting a series of meetings with European leaders to garner support for Georgia to be granted the EU membership candidate status.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday accused the country’s President Salome Zourabichvili of “gross violation” of the constitution through her departure on an official visit abroad without Government authorisation.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday expressed his wish to see a “clearer, time-bound” plan for accession of countries to the European Union, but added for Georgia the “most important thing” was to “consistently move forward” towards Europe.
The Georgian Government Administration on Wednesday highlighted the country’s constitution designated its foreign policy conduct to the Government, after it rejected requests by the office of President Salome Zourabichvili for approving her visits to a number of countries.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said Georgia would “definitely” become a “full-fledged and worthy” member of the European family, and pledged the Government would “do everything” for the outcome.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday highlighted “the need to respect” the country’s constitution in what he called its “clear violation” by President Salome Zourabichvili through her departure on an official visit abroad without the Government’s authorisation.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said violation of the Georgian constitution by the country’s President Salome Zourabichvili, the “person who should be the main guarantor of the constitution”, could not be left without a reaction.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Monday accused the country’s President Salome Zourabichvili of having “deliberately violated” the constitution through her departure on official visits abroad without the Government's consent, and said the impeachment procedure initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party against her should be viewed “more rationally and with less emotion”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the decision of the ruling Georgian Dream party to initiate an impeachment procedure against President Salome Zourabichvili over her alleged violation of the constitution through her departure on an official visit abroad without the Government’s authorisation was “completely justified”.
The work for gaining the European Union membership candidate status for Georgia, the country’s future and regional matters were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative on a visit to Georgia, on Friday stressed “Georgia no doubt belongs to European family”, before revealing the bloc’s “key messages” ahead of its decision later this year on whether to grant Tbilisi its candidate status.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday claimed there was “no connection” between the impeachment procedure initiated against President Salome Zourabichvili by the ruling Georgian Dream party authorities and the country’s aspirations to obtain the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
The Georgian Constitutional Court on Tuesday launched its substantive consideration of the lawsuit against the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili over her alleged violation of the Constitution through her departure on an official visit abroad without the Government’s authorisation.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the impeachment procedure launched by the Government against President Salome Zourabichvili meant she was “no longer considered worthy” of the presidency, and further pointed out the “ultimate goal” of the process was to remove her from office.
Merab Turava, the Chair of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, on Thursday urged political actors, “particular organisations” and individuals to refrain from making “preliminary assessments” on the Court’s forthcoming decision over the ongoing impeachment procedures against President Salome Zourabichvili.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said that the country’s President Salome Zourabichvili “has chosen to descend to the level of destructive opposition”, instead of “openly” supporting the Government in the European integration process.
The Constitutional Court of Georgia on Monday concluded President Salome Zourabichvili had violated the country’s Constitution through her visits to Europe in late August and September without the Government's authorisation.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the Parliament would vote on impeachment of President Salome Zourabichvili this week, following the ruling by the country’s Constitutional Court earlier during the day that said the President had violated the Constitution through her recent trip in Europe without the Government's authorisation.
President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday cancelled her planned visit to Denmark, which had not been authorised by the Government, in a move that follows the Constitutional Court’s ruling earlier this month that said she had violated the Constitution with earlier official foreign trips without approval of the Government, Imedi TV said.