Georgian Parliament Speaker says immunity 'not divine armor' as ex-PM Gakharia’s party faces losing mandates

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has said that parliamentary immunity was no “divine armor” and could be lifted with a simple majority vote if there was evidence of criminal activity by an MP. 

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Papuashvili confirmed that Parliament was preparing to vote on the suspension of mandates of MPs affiliated with former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party, which has boycotted parliamentary sessions and refused to cooperate with a controversial investigative commission probing alleged crimes under the previous United National Movement government.

“Immunity does not protect criminals,” Papuashvili said. “We have lifted immunity in the past, including in the case of Nika Melia, when Giorgi Gakharia himself requested it. If the Prosecutor’s Office has evidence and submits a petition, Parliament can act.”

He added that the MPs in question had effectively “revoked their own mandates” by failing to fulfill their duties, accusing them of betraying the trust of voters who supported them in the 2024 elections.

Commenting on Gakharia’s recent departure from Georgia amid ongoing proceedings by the investigative commission, Papuashvili accused the former Prime Minister of “disappearing in the blink of an eye.”

“Even his party members cannot say when he will return. It’s the first time I’ve heard of someone going to ‘planned meetings’ on a one-way ticket,” he remarked. “No matter how his supporters tried to portray him as brave and courageous, he turned out to be someone who habitually sneaks away when faced with challenges.”

Gakharia, who broke from Georgian Dream in 2021, has come under renewed scrutiny as the ruling party pursues criminal cases against several opposition figures who refused to appear before a parliamentary commission investigating the former UNM government. While Gakharia previously agreed to testify remotely, Papuashvili criticized his decision to leave the country, saying the commission remained open to hearing him via video link.