Georgian President says her recent foreign visits aim to fulfil “highest, foremost” obligation - promote country’s European integration
Commenting on the decision of the Georgian Government to initiate an impeachment procedure against her for the departure for a series of foreign visits this week despite the Government’s refusal to approve her request for the trips, Zourabichvili said “everyone should forget the dream of my resignation” as she would continue to fulfil her highest constitutional duty. Photo via Presidential Administration
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Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Thursday said the series of foreign visits to European cities aimed to fulfil her “highest and foremost” obligation as President - to promote the country's European integration.
In her address to the public on Public Broadcaster, Zourabichvili noted that European leaders had been expressing their support to Georgia as the citizens had shown the whole Europe how “important” was the European Union candidate membership status for them, adding she herself had been representing Georgian citizens in Europe.
I have plans to visit other [European] countries. In these two and a half or three months, I hope to be able to visit the main and maybe all the capitals of Europe and bring your wish, your dream, your future protection [European integration]”, she emphasised.
Zourabichvili stressed “all the problems facing Georgia today would be improved step by step” when the country would join the EU. She noted the country would continue to move forward to Europe, where “its place has been”.
Commenting on the decision of the Georgian Government to initiate an impeachment procedure against her for the departure for a series of foreign visits this week despite the Government’s refusal to approve her request for the trips, Zourabichvili said “everyone should forget the dream of my resignation” as she would continue to fulfil her highest constitutional duty.
She cited the Georgian constitution that states that “constitutional bodies shall take all measures within the scope of their competences to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the EU”.
The Georgian Government Administration last week 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 later that week departed for a visit to Germany and France, as her Administration said she was starting a series of meetings with European leaders “to garner support” for Georgia to be granted EU membership candidate status.
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.
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”.
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”.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the decision of the ruling Georgian Dream party to launch impeachment proceedings against President Salome Zourabichvili this week over her alleged violation of the constitution through her departure on an official visit abroad without the Government’s authorisation was “not a political issue”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday said the impeachment procedure against the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, launched by the Government last week over her alleged violation of the constitution through her departure on an official visit abroad without the Government’s authorisation, was the “only way” to respond to "violations of specific articles of the constitution".
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday said “the only right and European way out” for the country’s President Salome Zourabichvili “is to admit the violation of the constitution and vow that it will not happen again”.
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.