President’s impeachment procedures for her EU trip “betrayal” of state interests – opposition MP

Roman Gotsiridze, an opposition MP, on Friday responded to the announcement of the ruling Georgian Dream party about the launch of impeachment procedures against President Salome Zourabichvili for “violating” the country’s constitution through visiting Europe without the Government’s consent, saying it was “betrayal” of national interests. 

 

“Starting the process of impeachment of the President due to meetings with EU leaders, while the ruling party does not have enough votes in the Parliament [to dismiss her], is a direct betrayal of the country’s interests.

 

Ivanishvili will end badly!”, Gotsiridze, a former member of the United National Movement opposition, said in his social media post. 

 

The opposition claims Ivanishvili, the founder of the GD and the former Prime Minister, is running the country from the backstage, accusing him of being “pro-Russian”. 

 

In remarks following the GD political council session on Friday, Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling party, accused Zourabichvili of making an alliance with a “radical wing” of the domestic opposition – in reference to the UNM – and taking actions to “hamper” the country’s obtaining EU candidacy “despite the Government’s efforts”. 

 

He claimed Zourabichvili was attempting to “get political points” through portraying her actions as pro-Western, while “undermining” the country’s European future. 

 

Kobakhidze reiterated that the Government and not the President was authorized to implement the country’s foreign and domestic policies, adding the President’s dismissal for “blatant violation” of the country’s main law would need 100 votes in the 150-member Parliament and the support by the opposition.