GD tried to convince UNM not to cancel party lists, Vice Speaker says

“We tried to convince them (opposition MPs) not to cancel the lists. We are not going to correct their mistake by changing the laws,” Vice-Speaker Archil Talakvadze said in response to the demand of the United National Movement (UNM) party to restore the party lists.

Talakvadze said the UNM is a destructive political force. It made a wrong and hasty decision in the past. “Today they want to go back, but they cannot revert because of their own decision. Therefore, when they claim the status of a major opposition party, they should take responsibility for their own decisions,” Talakvadze said.

According to the Vice-Speaker, the decision of the majority regarding the termination of MP mandates will not change, and the GD will support it.

Irakli Kadagishvili, Chairman of the parliamentary Procedural Affairs Committee, said that the mandate suspension to three opposition MPs is the ruling team’s joint decision to be upheld by voting.

The ruling team MP Sozar Subari said the opposition parties disrespected democracy and the parliamentary system principle. “The majority will not support the parties, which wanted to de-legitimize the parliament,” Subari claimed.

Georgian Dream lawmaker Guram Macharashvili stated the ruling party and international partners urged the opposition not to annul the party lists. “Now it is up to them to draw out from the labyrinth they entered,” Macharashvili said.

Khatia Dekanoidze, Chairperson of the United National Movement (UNM) parliamentary faction, demanded to restore the electoral lists of opposition parties annulled by the Central Election Commission (CEC) at the news briefing on Tuesday.