Ex-PM Gakharia accuses Georgian court of rushing opposition party ban case

Georgia’s opposition leader Giorgi Gakharia has accused the Constitutional Court of rushing proceedings in a case seeking to ban opposition parties, calling the move a threat to political pluralism and judicial independence.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Gakharia, leader of the For Georgia party, said hearings scheduled to begin on 21 October showed the authorities feared losing control over the judicial system.

His comments came after Constitutional Court judge Manana Kobakhidze left her post following the rejection of a request to recuse herself from the case.

Gakharia described the rapid scheduling of the hearings as a “fictitious process” aimed at dismantling political pluralism and consolidating authoritarian rule.

He argued that the authorities were accelerating the proceedings to secure decisions before potentially losing the necessary quorum on the court.

“A regime built on fear cannot stand against the democratic will of the Georgian people,” Gakharia wrote, calling on the international community to monitor developments closely.

The case concerns a petition seeking to ban several opposition parties, including the United National Movement and other groups. The ruling Georgian Dream party has argued that the parties’ activities threaten the constitutional order, while opposition figures say the proceedings are politically motivated.