Parliament Speaker highlights “clear violation” of constitution as impeachment procedure looms over President Zourabichvili
In his remarks over the matter, Papuashvili claimed there was “no debate about” the violation through the visits, and said “no one in the [domestic] opposition denies that this is a clear violation of the constitution”. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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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.
In his remarks over the matter, Papuashvili claimed there was “no debate about” the violation through the visits, and said “no one in the [domestic] opposition denies that this is a clear violation of the constitution”.
“We the Georgian citizens - and above all, this applies to the high-ranking political officials - must respect the constitution. If the President of Georgia does not respect the constitution, then no one respects either the constitution or our state”, Papuashvili said.
As for these visits, I think that there is no debate here, and no one [even] in the opposition denies that this is a clear violation of the constitution. There are attempts to justify it with different motivations. No motivation justifies violation of the constitution. This is the most fundamental issue”, the chief Georgian legislator noted.
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 Zourabichvili over her “gross violation” of the constitution.
The comments followed a statement by the Georgian Government Administration on Wednesday, which 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.
The President of the European Council Charles Michel on Friday had a meeting with Zourabichvili. The leaders discussed the EU-Georgia relations as well as broader developments in the region.