For Georgia’s MP Giga Parulava: Triggering constitutional mechanisms to ban political parties is catastrophic for Georgian Dream

“Regarding the constitutional lawsuit, we have stated from the very beginning and maintain today that triggering constitutional mechanisms to ban political parties in a democratic country is completely unacceptable,” MP Giga Parulava, a member of the For Georgia party, has declared.

According to Parulava, any political party must be defeated in a free and fair electoral environment.

“This will produce catastrophic consequences for the Georgian Dream government. As for our inclusion in this constitutional lawsuit, this continues the political persecution carried out against Giorgi Gakharia. The public knows that the two criminal cases currently pending against Giorgi Gakharia are entirely flimsy and politically motivated fabrications by the Prosecutor’s Office. This is clear political persecution. We remember the past physical attacks against Giorgi Gakharia, and this is just the next stage of the ongoing pressure Georgian Dream has inflicted on him and his political team over the years.

The political parties’ ban is an outcome they have practically already settled, a reality further signalled by the departure of Constitutional Court Judge Manana Kobakhidze. They have already made this decision, and naturally, this outcome will prove catastrophic for Georgian Dream. As for the question of participating in the proceedings, we are discussing this with members of our party, and naturally, information regarding this issue will be made known to the public very shortly,” Parulava stated.

The constitutional lawsuit filed by 88 members of the Parliament of Georgia seeks to ban the activities of several political parties: Unity – National Movement, Coalition for Change – Gvaramia Melia Girchi Droa, Strong Georgia – Lelo, For the People, For Freedom, the Federalist Party, and Gakharia For Georgia. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to begin reviewing the lawsuit next week.