Day: October 18, 2023

A plenary session of parliament is discussing the impeachment of President Salome Zurabishvili. A quorum of 87 registered MPs is present. 100 votes are needed to impeach the president.

Opposition parties – “United National Movement”, “For Georgia”, “Strategy Aghmashenebeli” do not attend the meetings, they and other opposition parties – “Citizens”, “Euro-optimists”, “Lelo” and “For Georgia” declared that they will not participate in the vote.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, opened the session by stating that Zurabishvili had violated the constitution, making her ineligible to serve as Georgia’s president. He warned that if the impeachment attempt failed, Zurabishvili would become “President of the United National Movement” for the next year, while still holding the formal title of President of Georgia.

Kobakhidze noted that the United National Movement had previously referred to Salome Zurabishvili as an agent, a resident, and a spy. He pointed out the unchangeable nature of such labels, stressing that once someone is called a spy, an agent, or a resident, he or she will always carry that label. However, according to him, the same UNM now heralds Salome Zurabishvili as the pro-European leader in Georgian politics.

GD Chair criticized the dissenting judges of the Constitutional Court, stating that they had failed to address what he called a “simple case” and describing their reasoning and record as “absurd”.

Irakli Kobakhidze addressed President Zurabishvili: “You called “little men” the people who ensured your presidency… We did everything for you to become a President, we respected the legacy of your ancestors…”

In her speech, Salome Zurabishvili addressed the MPs of “Georgian Dream” with a question, how will they look into the eyes of their children and grandchildren when they exchange their personal well-being for the future of Europe?

President Salome Zurabishvili stated that the Constitutional Court’s decision on October 16 will be remembered as the consolidation of one-party rule over the judicial system. She added: “You are not impeaching me, you are impeaching yourself, the country, its European future, and your every vote is a vote against this future of ours.”

She then went on to say: “How do you explain to the people that you voted for the impeachment of a pro-European president and at the same time did not support the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which recognized the occupying regime as a dictatorship?”

“I know that no matter what the result of the vote will be, you will declare it a victory and announce it through a shared message box, but what are you going to do with the fact that people no longer believe in you?” Zurabishvili stated.

“You treat the occupying country and its leaders with great reverence; moreover, you openly deserve praise from the occupiers, and you are not even embarrassed by it; you are not even embarrassed when the shouts of the occupying country and your shouts in my speech coincide”- Zurabishvili stated.

Salome Zurabishvili appealed to the European partners and emphasized the importance of their continued support despite the ongoing impeachment proceedings. She stressed the need to prevent Russia from increasing its influence in the region.

The President said her sole objective is for Georgia to achieve candidate status by the end of the year. She emphasized the enduring commitment of the Georgian people to their European choice and stressed that no one should doubt their dedication to this path or believe that anyone could lead them in the direction of Russia or away from their alternative future.

GD Chair Irakli Kobakhidze and several other Georgian Dream MPs left the Parliament hall during the President’s speech. After the speech, the President declined to answer the questions asked by the MPs.

After Salome Zurabishvili’s address, in which she criticized the ruling party, members of the Presidential Administration present on the balcony applauded. In response, the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, addressed them and said: “I am addressing the representatives of the Presidential Administration who are stationed in the balcony – you are here to observe, not to participate, including clapping and other expressions. Please respect the Parliament of Georgia. … I urge you to exercise restraint. Observe the process, you are not a participant in this process”.

To be updated …

On October 18, Transparency International – Georgia released a statement saying that the impeachment proceedings initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party “directly harm the most important process of Georgia’s European integration, all the more so in the conditions when the country is waiting for the European Commission’s report on the granting of the status of an EU candidate country.”

The watchdog notes that it is known to the public, including European partners, that President Salome Zurabishvili’s visits served the purpose of the country’s European integration. The organization stresses: “The impeachment process can be perceived as an attempt to sabotage this process, especially in conditions where the ruling power has seized almost all state institutions and exercises full control over them”.

The statement calls on members of Parliament “to act in accordance with the national interests of the country and the people, not to support the decision to impeach the President and not to jeopardize the current process of obtaining EU candidate status”.

On September 12, 80 deputies filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court regarding the impeachment of the President of Georgia.

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

The impeachment session is taking place in Parliament today, on October 18. 

Also Read:

• 17/10/2023 – President Revokes Partskhaladze’s Citizenship & Vetoes “Tents Law” Ahead of Impeachment Procedure in Parliament 
• 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 18, representatives of the Russian occupation forces illegally detained two Georgian citizens on the occupied Tskhinvali region territory in the village of Ghromi, and in the village of Balaani, occupied Akhalgori district, Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, reports State Security Service of Georgia in its release.

Upon receiving information about the incident, the State Security Service activated the “hot line” operated by the EU Monitoring Mission. International partners and the co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions were immediately informed of the incident.

All available mechanisms were activated in order to release the illegally detained Georgian citizen as soon as possible, according to the SSSG press release.

The SSSG stresses that the responsibility for all destructive acts committed in the occupied territories of Georgia and along the occupation line lies with the occupying power.

Also Read:

• 16/10/2023 – Georgian Citizen Illegally Detained Near Tskhinvali Occupation Line Released
• 15/09/2023 – Georgian Citizen Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces
• 23/08/2023 – Two Georgian Citizens Detained Near the Tskhinvali Occupation Line Released
• 23/08/2023 – Two Georgian Citizens Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces
• 28/07/2023 – Two Georgian Citizens Illegally Detained by Tskhinvali Occupation Regime Released
• 10/07/2023 – Georgian Citizens Detained Near the Tskhinvali Occupation Line Released

The Parliament will deliberate on the initiative of Georgian Dream to make amendments to the Law on Broadcasting in an accelerated manner. The amendments expand the powers of the National Communications Commission, including on regulating hate speech, have been registered by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

According to the explanatory card, “the draft law aims to improve the Georgian law on “broadcasting” in accordance with the recommendation of the European Commission and to create an effective mechanism to prevent the spread of programs and commercials with hate speech and incitement to terrorism”.

According to the draft law, in case of violation of Article 55 (2) (which prohibits the dissemination of hate speech and incitement to terrorism in the media service provider’s programming or advertising), it will be possible to appeal a decision taken within the framework of the self-regulation mechanism to the Communication Commission.

According to the draft law, “If the fact of violation is confirmed, the Commission is entitled to make a decision on the declaration. The broadcaster is obliged to broadcast a declaration on the violation of the requirements of the Georgian legislation, and license/authorization conditions on its own program at the best time within 5 days. Taking into account the seriousness of the violation, the Commission is authorized to consider the issue of applying appropriate sanctions to the broadcaster”.

The explanatory card states that media service providers who violate Article 55 (2) and receive a warning, in case of repeated similar violations within one year, will be fined in the amount of 0.5% of the last year’s income, but not less than 2500 GEL. In case of the next similar violation, the amount of the fine will be increased.

In a statement issued on October 17, the Media Advocacy Coalition expressed concern about the concentration of additional power in the hands of the regulator and warned that this could potentially lead to abuse, adding: “Given past practice, the Media Advocacy Coalition and media organizations have a legitimate reason to be concerned.”

The coalition says that in cooperation with broadcasters, it had proposed an alternative solution to regulating hate speech last year, which was not considered by the ruling party. The Coalition cites independent experts from the Council of Europe who also supported the idea of effective co-regulation in light of the prevailing context in the country.

The coalition calls on the parliamentary majority to consult with broadcasters and seek broad consensus before passing any media-related legislative changes. They stressed that this is in line with the requirements of the European Directive on Audiovisual Media Services.

Also Read:

• 04/07/2023 – Parliament Adopts Amendments to Georgian Broadcasting Law
• 23/12/2022 – Parliament Adopts Amendments to the Law on Broadcasting