Ruling party head calls President “lame duck” as announces impeachment vote

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday called President Salome Zourabichvili a “lame duck” before announcing her impeachment vote this week in the Parliament as the Constitutional Court has approved the party’s allegations over violating the country’s Constitution by the President’s through her recent European trip without the Government’s consent. 

 

Claiming the ruling had “approved” Zourabichvili’s “gross and intentional” violation of the country’s main law, which Kobakhidze said was a “set goal” of his party when initiating the impeachment procedure last month, he also stressed the President had lost “legitimacy” and took the post “only informally” following the judgment. 

 

He added if Zourabichvili had “retained dignity”, she would resign, but claimed the President was not independent in her decisions and was being run allegedly from abroad, along with the “radical” United National Movement. 

 

Kobakhidze, however, admitted his party “practically had no chances” to dismiss Zourabichvili as it lacked at least 100 seats in the 150-member legislative body.