Georgian President makes two decisions before the impeachment procedure - on Partskhaladze and the "law on tents"

Veto of the law on tents

On the evening of October 17, President Salome Zurabishvi made two important decisions:

● The President revoked the citizenship of former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze, who was under US sanctions and found to have ties with the Russian FSB. The issue of revoking Partskhaladze’s citizenship was on the agenda even before the US imposed international sanctions against him. However, at the time, the President refrained from stripping Partskhaladze of citizenship.

◤ On September 14, the United States imposed sanctions against Otar Partskhaladze. This is related to his business activities and cooperation with the Russian FSB. Before the official announcement of the decision, the media reported that a “Georgian-Russian oligarch” was among those subject to sanctions.

Later, the National Bank, based on sanctions compliance rules, restricted access to Partskhaladze’s personal accounts. However, after Georgian Dream leaders called this decision unconstitutional, the National Bank changed its position and restored access to Partskhaladze’s accounts.

On September 20, the Ministry of Justice came up with an initiative to revoke Partskhaladze’s citizenship. However, the president disregarded the recommendation.

“Proceeding from the interests of the state, the Georgian president believes that if the former prosecutor general should be punished, he should be punished precisely as a citizen of Georgia,” the presidential administration said in a statement published on September 22. ◢

● In addition, President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations. According to the draft law, participants of rallies or demonstrations are prohibited from putting up a temporary structure if it endangers the participants of the rally or demonstration or other persons or hinders the holding of the rally and demonstration. Non-governmental organizations and opposition representatives criticize the bill and say that if it is passed, civil rights will be further restricted.

Georgian parliament passes bill banning tents during protests

The public has already labeled this law as another “Russian law”

Impeachment of the President

Zurabishvili made these decisions a few hours before the impeachment discussion began in Parliament.

Consideration of the impeachment of the president in the Georgian parliament began on October 18.

Zurabishvili faced the threat of impeachment after the Constitutional Court recognized that she violated the country’s constitution by traveling to EU countries despite the government’s ban.

Following this Constitutional Court ruling, the issue must be put to a vote in parliament. 100 votes are needed for impeachment. The impeachment proceeding was initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party.