Day: October 17, 2023

The vote on the President’s impeachment will be held in the Parliament tomorrow, on October 18, Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili said at the plenary session today.

According to Papuashvili, he had already communicated with the President’s administration and received Salome Zurabishvili’s confirmation for attendance. The parliamentary procedure is set to start at 12:00 Tbilisi time.

At the plenary session on October 17, Papuashvili submitted a resolution for the Georgian Parliament to discuss and vote on the impeachment of the President.   

“In accordance with Article 48, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution of Georgia and Article 179, Clauses 2 and 4 of the Rules of the Parliament of Georgia, the Parliament of Georgia established: 1. The issue of impeachment of the President of Georgia – Salome Zurabishvili by the Parliament of Georgia on the basis of the conclusion (No. 3/1/1797, 16.10.2023) submitted by the court on the violation of the Constitution by the President of Georgia, consider and vote on the mentioned issue in the week of the next plenary sessions of October 17-20 of the fall session of 2023. 2. This resolution shall come into effect immediately after its adoption,” – reads the draft of the resolution, tabled by Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

On September 12, 80 deputies filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court regarding the impeachment of the President of Georgia. During the three-day hearings, the President was represented by Tamar Chugoshvili, a former MP from the Georgian Dream list, and Maia Kopaleishvili, a former judge of the Constitutional Court. Five MPs from the Georgian Dream party took part in the hearings, including party leader Irakli Kobakhidze, as well as Anri Okhanashvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili, and Giorgi Kakhiani.

On October 16, the Constitutional Court of Georgia ruled that President Salome Zurabishvili has violated the Constitution. The Court determined that the President breached the country’s Constitution by making working visits to Europe without the Government’s approval.

Also Read:

• 17/10/2023 – PM: Gone Are the Days When the President Thought She was Above the Law and the Constitution
• 16/10/2023 – Presidential Representatives: Constitutional Court Ruling is Political
• 16/10/2023 – President Zurabishvili: the Time for Dreaming “Dreams” Is Over
• 16/10/2023 – Politicians React to Constitutional Court Ruling on President’s Constitutional Breach
• 16/10/2023 – Constitutional Court Rules President’s Foreign Visits Unconstitutional
• 05/10/2023 – Updated: 3 Days of the Constitutional Court Deliberation on President’s Impeachment

On October 17, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that “gone are the days when the President thought she was above the law and the constitution.”

As the head of government told the journalists, “some citizens expected Salome Zurabishvili to introduce the European standard into Georgian politics, which means that everyone respects the law and the Constitution.”

PM Garibashvili said that the Constitutional Court’s decision is certainly the sad fact, “as it is now officially confirmed that Zurabishvili violated the Constitution”. He noted: “As a Georgian Prime Minister and as a citizen of this country, I am, of course, not happy about this fact. I do not want the President of my country to be a violator of the Constitution or of any law”.

In his words, the President should have been an example to the others, to other public officials and to future Presidents that she is a guarantor of the country’s most important law, the Constitution: “Instead, Mrs. Salome blatantly and demonstratively violated the Constitution many times.”

Garibashvili reiterates that “Georgian Dream” does not expect, and has never expected from the outset, that the majority will be able to gather the necessary votes for impeachment. “But we, as the authorities of the country, members of Government, members of Parliament, legislators, must certainly set an example. We must remind the President and everyone that in this country, gone are the days, when President thought she was above the law and the constitution,” – said Garibashvili.

PM also said that “citizens expected that Zurabishvili would introduce the European standards into Georgian politics”, which means that everyone respects the law and the constitution. “We instead got the complete opposite picture when Mrs. Salome told us that she does not recognize the Constitution. This is a shameful fact.”

Garibashvili also said: “We are not afraid of the opposition”. He said: “I am going to remind everyone that Salome Zurabishvili, when she was in the opposition, had a rating of only 1%”,- adding that it was only thanks to the “Georgian Dream,” and its rating that she became a President.

On September 12, 80 deputies filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court regarding the impeachment of the President of Georgia. During the three-day hearings, the President was represented by Tamar Chugoshvili, a former MP from the Georgian Dream list, and Maia Kopaleishvili, a former judge of the Constitutional Court. Five MPs from the Georgian Dream party took part in the hearings, including party leader Irakli Kobakhidze, as well as Anri Okhanashvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili, and Giorgi Kakhiani.

On October 16, the Constitutional Court of Georgia ruled that President Salome Zurabishvili has violated the Constitution. The Court determined that the President breached the country’s Constitution by making working visits to Europe without the Government’s approval.

Also Read:

• 16/10/2023 – Presidential Representatives: Constitutional Court Ruling is Political
• 16/10/2023 – President Zurabishvili: the Time for Dreaming “Dreams” Is Over
• 16/10/2023 – Politicians React to Constitutional Court Ruling on President’s Constitutional Breach
• 16/10/2023 – Constitutional Court Rules President’s Foreign Visits Unconstitutional
• 05/10/2023 – Updated: 3 Days of the Constitutional Court Deliberation on President’s Impeachment

On October 16, the “Vice-President” of the Crimean Development Fund, Vasily Dyachenko, presented plans for cooperation between the Russian-annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia, according to which it is planned to revive the old Soviet-era sea route of the “Kometa” ships, which will connect the cities Gelendzhik – Novorossiysk – Sochi – Sokhumi. The plans were announced at the plenary meeting of the IV Tourism Forum “Visit Apsny” in Sokhumi.

According to Russian state-owned news agency and Kremlin mouthpiece TASS, during his speech at the forum, Dyachenko emphasized Abkhazia’s “significant potential”, pointing in particular to its logistical advantages. He offered support in increasing tourist influx by sea, citing the availability of “modern and highly soundproof” vessels known as “Kometa,” which currently operate on the Gelendzhik – Novorossiysk – Sochi route. Dyachenkospoke of plans to expand this route from Sochi to Sokhumi by the next season, further boosting tourism in the region of Abkhazia. He also indicated that talks were underway with the de-facto leadership of Sokhumi regarding this proposal.

Dyachenko noted that there are ships in Crimea that once connected the peninsula’s cities, but navigation is currently closed, and it may remain closed next season. He said: “Something must be done about these ships, and we have decided to help increase the flow of tourists to the region of Abkhazia. It is quite likely that we will revive an old story, reminiscent of the time when “kometas” connected the sea cities of the former Soviet Union”. According to Dyachenko, “Abkhazia can now maximize its tourist flow” because the nearest airport in southern Russia is located in near proximity, in Sochi.

Dyachenko also highlighted “Abkhazia’s hospitality, safety, affordability, and natural beauty”, but noted that the tourism season is not year-round. To address this limitation, he proposed diversifying the tourism sector with health tourism during the off-season, including the development of spas, heated swimming pools, indoor water parks, mega-entertainment centers, and interactive museums as attractions.

Tourism Forum “Visit Apsny”

The so-called Abkhazian Tourism Union, organized in cooperation with the “Sokhumi City Hall” holds an annual forum focused on the development of year-round tourism in the region. The event attracts “tourism experts” from both Russia and occupied Abkhazia. This year the event is being held on October 16-18. The main themes of this year’s event include gastronomic and agritourism, spas, active and adventure tourism, and the development of tourism in protected areas.

At the event, the de-facto leaders of the occupied region emphasized the importance of developing year-round tourism, hoping to take advantage of the region’s cultural heritage and natural beauty. Tamila Mertskhulava, a de-facto official from Abkhazia, highlighted tourism as a “promising sector of economy”, noting that “Russia’s recognition of Abkhazian region has presented new global opportunities”.

Sergei Shamba, Secretary of the so-called “Abkhazian Security Council”, noted the progress in tourism while noting “the untapped potential of winter tourism” and the region’s wealth of ancient Christian churches. He said he sees these assets as a “source of off-season tourism”, especially in the realm of ethno-tourism, and anticipates expanded year-round tourism with the forthcoming operational Sokhumi airport.

The Russian representative in the occupied region, Mikhail Shurgalin noted “Abkhazia’s rising popularity among Russian tourists”, attributing it to both its natural beauty and to it “being strategic partner with Russia”.

Also Read:

• 29/09/2023 – Russian Missile Corvette ‘Tsyklon’ Moors in Sokhumi

According to the Transparency International (TI) – Georgia assessment, the Parliament is becoming a closed institution. The watchdog believes that the legislature is using security as a pretext to limit public participation in its activities.

On September 4, Parliament adopted new Security Rules, which tightened the access to the Parliament for the general public and media. “The new security rules limit the participation of the public and civil society in parliamentary activities to such an extent that they eventually transform the legislature into a closed body,” – reads the document released by the watchdog.

The new rules, which prohibit a visitor from communicating with a journalist in the space reserved for the media without the permission of the Parliament office, and which prohibit bringing protest rallies’ posters and banners, contradict freedom of expression, says TI Georgia. The watchdog stresses that freedom of political expression should be guaranteed to a particularly high standard. It is unacceptable to restrict freedom of expression simply because it causes “discomfort” to members of Parliament.

The Rules for procedures for admission to the Parliament building have also been tightened. According to the new rules, it becomes necessary to record the specific purpose of entering Parliament. TI-Georgia notes that in a Parliamentary Republic, the openness and transparency of the Parliament is crucial for democratic development and that the parliament should facilitate citizens’ involvement in parliamentary life. “Therefore, the regulation cannot be justified,”- the watchdog concludes adding that in the absence of a direct security threat, citizens must be able to freely attend committee meetings and public sessions of Parliament.

In its statement, TI recalls cases, when citizens have been denied entry in the Parliament without explanation. It also states the security considerations are often invoked, when Parliament is working on a sensitive topic and is likely to attract criticism.

TI believes the procedure favors the transformation of the legislature into a closed body, as stricter rules have also affected the representatives of local and international non-governmental organizations. Since 2022, the Parliament has revoked the permanent entry permits for them, which has created a significant obstacle to the process of observing the activities of the legislative body. In the same year, five organizations were asked to leave the premises of the Parliament.

In 2023, updated media accreditation regulations came into force that made the Parliament a more closed and non-transparent body for the critical media. This also has an impact the quality of information disseminated to society.

This year Parliament also endorsed the amendments, according to which it is now restricted for the former Members to enter the Parliament, without the special permission.

On 5 October, the Speaker of the Parliament announced new proposed changes to the Parliament’s internal rules, according to which representatives of the Parliament’s office won’t be allowed to interact with journalists in the area reserved for the media without the consent of the Public Relations Department.

TI-Georgia says this is particularly worrying and regrettable given the achievements of the Georgian Parliament in the field of open government. In 2015, Georgia was the first country to draft and adopt the Open Government Action Plan for 2015-2016 and also signed the Declaration on Parliamentary Openness. In the same year, Georgia received the Open Government Partnership Government Champions Award among 65 countries.

TI Georgia calls on the Parliament to ensure the transparency of its work, to involve citizens in this process and to adhere to the principles of democratic governance.

Also Read:

• 05/06/2023 – TI Georgia: Parliament Becomes Even More Closed and Opaque for Critical Media
• 04/05/2023 – Georgian Watchdogs Call for Triggering Response Procedure in Open Government Partnership
• 17/05/2023 – CSOs Statement: The Government of Georgia is flagrantly violating the Open Government Partnership Principles
• 07/04/2023 – Parliament Suspends Accreditation of Journalists from Three Government-Critical TV Channels