Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, will begin impeachment proceedings against the President for visiting the European Union against the government’s wishes, Interpress reported.
The leader of the Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, accused President Salome Zourabichvili of blatantly disregarding the constitution.
Zourabichvili had recently met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on Thursday and European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels on Friday to rally support for Georgia’s bid to become an EU candidate. A decision on Georgia’s candidacy is anticipated by the end of this year.
Elected in 2018 as Georgia’s leader with the support of the Georgian Dream, President Zourabichvili has since distanced herself from the party due to her belief that they are too pro-Russian and not fully committed to Georgia’s membership in the European Union and the NATO defence alliance.
Back in March, Zourabichvili announced her intention to veto a contentious bill that demanded non-government organisations (NGOs) receiving more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as “foreign agents”. The bill, believed to have been inspired by Russian laws aimed at suppressing criticism, was eventually withdrawn after facing widespread criticism from its opponents.
[“Thanks Frank Walter Steinmeier for this meeting launching my European tour designed to secure our European path. Germany’support will be crucial. Georgian people believe in their European future,” posted President Zourabichvili after she met with the German President. -Credit: Salome Zourabichvili @Zourabichvili_S]
The European Union has repeatedly warned that Georgia’s EU application could be derailed if authoritarianism deepens. Last year, Georgia was denied candidate status alongside Ukraine and Moldova.
The Georgian Dream government has a pro-Russian and anti-EU stance, constantly restricts democratic and human rights, and aligns with the European far-right parties of Viktor Orbán and Matteo Salvini.
However, Kobakhidze acknowledged that it would be challenging to impeach the President as Georgian Dream has a slim majority in parliament.
