Ruling party head says president “joked” over threats to pardon Saakashvili

The head  of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, on Wednesday said the country’s president Salome Zourabichvili reportedly joked when she on Tuesday accused the ruling party on exerting pressure on her over the question related to the pardon of imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili. 

In his previous comments, Kobakhidze said both he and the public would have a “severe reaction” if Zourabichvili pardoned  Saakashvili. 

“Mr. Kobakhidze, a master of law of Tbilisi State University and Dusseldorf, doctor of law of Dusseldorf University, professor of Tbilisi State University, (former) vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, would be well aware that in a democratic country, it is not permissible to threaten the use of discretionary, constitutional powers by the president!”, Zourabichvuli’s office said. 

Responding to the statement, Kobakhidze said it was a “forgivable joke” by the president and noted  Zourabichvili had several times slammed the parliament for the use of its discretionary rights.