Public Defender: Georgia’s 11th Parliament convened legitimately

The Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, claimed on Tuesday the 11th convocation of Parliament had convened in full compliance with the Constitution, amid protests against “rigged” October elections and the President’s pending lawsuit in the Constitutional Court against the vote.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Ioseliani emphasized that the date for convening Parliament was determined by the Constitution itself.

“I do not understand the content of your question regarding legitimacy. The Parliament of Georgia convened completely legitimately in accordance with Article 38 of the Constitution, which clearly states that Parliament must convene within 10 days after the announcement of the summary protocol. No other articles or reservations, including any constitutional claims, can override this constitutional provision, which specifies that the Parliament must convene within 10 days – exactly as it happened,” Ioseliani explained.

He further noted that the Constitutional Court may review this matter and issue a decision, but added that this would not affect the legitimacy of the Parliament’s convening.

The Public Defender also acknowledged that there were “procedural violations” during the October 26 elections, but, unlike the opposition and non-governmental organizations, he refrained from labeling the elections as fraudulent.