“The parliamentary majority has resolved to reinitiate the impeachment process against President Salome Zourabichvili, asserting that she will be removed from office by a minimum of 100 votes during the initial sessions of the newly elected parliament,” Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian Parliament Speaker and the Georgian Dream political council member stated during a briefing at the party office.
“As you are aware, on October 16, 2023, the Constitutional Court of Georgia ruled that Salome Zourabichvili violated the Constitution by undertaking foreign visits without obtaining the government’s consent, as required by Article 52 of the Constitution.
Following this ruling, Zourabichvili retained her position solely due to the support of parliamentarians from the radical opposition. With their backing, she has continued disregarding the Constitution by making several foreign trips without government consent, including visits to France, Germany, Poland, and Belgium just last week.
Before the court’s decision, foreign nations and organizations might have asserted ignorance regarding the requirement for presidential approval for such visits. However, after the ruling, any reception of Salome Zourabichvili without the necessary consent not only disrespects the Georgian people and their constitutional order but also violates the principle of non-interference in internal matters, contradicting our shared European values.
The Constitution is the supreme document embodying the will of the Georgian people, and its open and deliberate violation cannot go unanswered. Therefore, the parliamentary majority has decided to reinitiate the impeachment process and prepare a new constitutional submission, which will be presented to the Constitutional Court before the parliamentary elections.
Once the Constitutional Court affirms the violation, the new parliament will proceed to remove Salome Zourabichvili from office via impeachment during its very first sessions, with a minimum of 100 votes in favour.
Salome Zourabichvili’s term concludes this year, which means that impeaching her would reduce her time in office by only one month. While the impact on her remaining term is largely symbolic, the legal and political significance of this decision is considerable. Deliberate and recurrent violations of the supreme law of the Georgian people must not go unpunished.
It is essential to remember Salome Zourabichvili not as a former president but as a displaced one. This precedent will serve as a strong deterrent against future constitutional violations and will help fortify Georgian democracy,” stated Papuashvili.
