PM alleges President involved in campaign to “discredit” Election Commission with veto
In his response, Kobakhidze said the veto would “not create a problem for the stable development of electoral processes” in the country ahead of the parliamentary elections in October. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday claimed President Salome Zourabichvili was engaged in a “campaign” aimed at “discrediting” the country’s election administration, after Zourabichvili vetoed amendments to regulations on elections of the Chair and members of the Central Election Commission.
Approved by the Parliament, the changes stipulated transfer of the power to elect the Chair and members of the Central Election Commission to the President if the legislative body failed to elect them in two attempts.
Zourabichvili’s office explained her veto of the proposal by saying the changes failed to substantially increase the President’s role in selection of CEC staff, as qualifications for transferring the selection to the office outlined Parliament vote thresholds “unlikely” to be failed.
In his response, Kobakhidze said the veto would “not create a problem for the stable development of electoral processes” in the country ahead of the parliamentary elections in October.
Of course, the veto will be overridden - this decision has been taken by the parliamentary majority. Accordingly, everything will be done so that the CEC can conduct elections effectively. Salome Zourabichvili has exactly the opposite goal”, he said.
The Government head stressed the Commission had “proven”, including at the 2021 local elections, that it could conduct elections “properly”.
He also said if the domestic “radical opposition and their friends” did not trust the Commission, it was “their problem and not an issue of the election administration”.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday vetoed amendments to the election code, approved by the Parliament, that stipulated transfer of the power to elect the Chair and members of the Central Election Commission to the President if the legislative body failed to elect them in two attempts.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said it was “principally important” to prevent both direct and indirect foreign financing of political entities in Georgia to “safeguard state sovereignty”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday reviewed the pre-election environment in the country with the International Pre-election Assessment Mission of the United States-based National Democratic Institute.
The Georgian Central Election Commission on Thursday said it welcomed the involvement of international observer organisations in the general elections set for October in the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday claimed some leaders of the domestic opposition represented a “collective United National Movement” party.
Guðni Jóhannesson, the President of Iceland who is on a visit to Georgia, on Tuesday said he welcomed the country’s desire to join the “Euro-Atlantic alliance” and vowed his country’s support for the process.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday claimed President Salome Zourabichvili vetoing amendments to the regulations for electing members of the Central Election Commission was “aimed at preparing the ground for the opposition United National Movement party and its clones” to dispute results of the parliamentary elections in October.
Tea Tsulukiani, the Georgian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, on Wednesday claimed Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili was “directly involved” in “revolutionary efforts” in the country ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October, and added she would increase the alleged efforts in the remaining months.