President “backed” by opposition, unauthorised Munich trip “harmful” - Parliament Speaker
Papuashvili asserted Zourabichvili would be present at the MSC “solely as a private individual” and not as an official representing her country due to the absence of Government approval for her trip. Photo: Shalva Papuashvili/Facebook
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Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Thursday condemned President Salome Zourabichvili’s planned, unauthorised participation in the Munich Security Conference this week, claiming she was being “backed” by the United National Movement opposition party and her actions “harmed” the country’s international image.
In his press comments, Papuashvili asserted Zourabichvili would be present at the MSC “solely as a private individual” and not as an official representing her country due to the absence of Government approval for her trip, and claimed her “disregard for the Georgian constitution and its people”.
It appears Zourabishvili views Georgia as merely an extension of her current domain, where she feels entitled to act with impunity”, he said.
The official attributed Zourabichvili’s continued position to the backing she received from UNM - the largest opposition faction in the country - last year, after the country’s Constitutional Court confirmed she had violated the law through unauthorised foreign visits earlier the same year. The ruling party fell short of votes to dismiss her in the subsequent impeachment hearing at the Parliament.
Papuashvili also claimed “time will show” how the President “has to pay back” for the opposition’s support.
Mamuka Mdinaraze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Tuesday accused President Salome Zourabichvili of “acting as a member of the radical opposition”, being involved in “repeat violations” of the country’s constitution and in “creating a false narrative” over the newly appointed Prime Minister’s first foreign trip.
The ruling Georgian Dream party on Wednesday fell short of votes for President Salome Zourabichvili’s impeachment in the Parliament after 86 MPs voted for her dismissal instead of the mandatory 100.
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.
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.
Irakli Garibashvili, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday announced he would launch holding meetings in the country’s regions starting next month, in the run-up to the general elections set for October.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday claimed President Salome Zourabichvili did “not consider herself a child of this country” and thought Georgia was the “backyard of her presidential residence”, in criticism of her unauthorised foreign trips.