Opposition MP questions Constitutional Court’s impartiality over 30th anniversary celebrations

Anna Tsitlidze from the United National Movement on Friday questioned the institutional independence and political neutrality of Georgia’s Constitutional Court after the court marked its 30th anniversary, criticising the content of a documentary film produced for the occasion and the presence of ruling party representatives at the celebrations.

Tsitlidze questioned the appropriateness of court representatives appearing alongside senior figures from the ruling party in what she described as a celebratory and friendly atmosphere while a politically sensitive case on the ban of five opposition groups  involving the same party was pending before the court.

She asked whether the event was consistent with standards of institutional neutrality and judicial ethics, and why the celebrations had not been postponed given the ongoing constitutional dispute. She also noted that the anniversary event did not coincide with the exact date the court began operating - 10 September 1996.

Tsitlidze further questioned whether opposition parties had been invited, including political groups that had participated in elections and were represented in parliament. She also criticised ruling party representatives for publicly commenting on the pending case during the event, arguing that their remarks appeared to indicate what outcome they expected from the court.