Parliament Speaker claims President vetoing Election Commission bill “serves opposition’s goals”
“The opposition is involved in this, Salome Zourabichvili is involved, several non-governmental organisations are involved, and among them, some foreign actors. This is a direct attack and interference in the election process”, he continued. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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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.
“This is to prepare the ground for the United National Movement and its clones not to recognise the elections. UNM has not recognised any parliamentary elections [and] [t]hey are going to do exactly the same thing in 2024”, Papuashvili said.
The opposition is involved in this, Salome Zourabichvili is involved, several non-governmental organisations are involved, and among them, some foreign actors. This is a direct attack and interference in the election process”, he continued.
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.
Zourabichvili’s 11-page substantiation of her veto was sent to the Parliament and also cited recommendations by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights as motivating her decision.
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.
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.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Wednesday said it was “doubly regrettable” to see reports of an appearance of Zurab Adeishvili, the wanted former Prosecutor General and Justice Minister of Georgia, in the German Parliament.
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.
The European Union Delegation to Georgia on Friday said media reports on the visit of Zurab Adeishvili, the wanted former Prosecutor General and Justice Minister of Georgia under the previous United National Movement Government, to European Union institutions on Tuesday had portrayed circumstances “in another way” and represented “disinformation”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said portraying political relations “with criminals in a normal light” was against “common values” shared by Georgian citizens and the European Union.