Impeachment procedure against President “unrelated” to Georgia’s EU candidacy - PM
PM Irakli Garibashvili accused the President of “sabotaging” the country. Photo: Government press office
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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.
Responding to claims by a part of the domestic opposition that the procedure - initiated in response to alleged violations of the country’s Constitution by the President with her foreign visits after the Government had rejected authorisation for the trips - could harm Tbilisi’s EU integration goals, the PM said initiating the impeachment had become an “obligation to ensure the protection” of the Constitution.
The head of the Government also accused the President of “sabotaging” the country with claims Georgia “did not deserve” the requested status from the bloc, and allegations the authorities were failing to take actions to meet the EU candidacy conditions and their foreign policy priorities were “unclear”.
Garibashvili stressed he had rejected authorisation for the President’s foreign trips to prevent her “anti-state efforts” following her “grave statements”.
He noted his office had “always encouraged” the President’s international visits but added Zourabichvili’s “unfounded allegations” had “removed even the minimal trust” that he said had existed between her and the Government.
Garibashvili also said the French-born Zourabichvili had “failed to convince” the country to facilitate Georgia’s obtaining of the status last year, pointing out the French President had raised questions towards Georgia’s status following his meeting with his counterpart.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.