In a televised live interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s First Channel, President Salome Zourabichvili said she believed that all three Constitutional Court judges who previously did not support the president’s impeachment would this time support accepting the election-related lawsuit for proceedings.

In her words, she also hoped for the support of three additional judges, which was necessary to accept the lawsuit for proceedings.

“Democracy means that you must still resort to all legal mechanisms available in the country. For example, Strasbourg accepts a lawsuit only if you have exhausted all court instances in your country. Even if that were not the case, it is a rule that you must still appeal. Do I have faith? I do not, but I must still follow the appeal process. There is another important dimension to consider.

Three judges did not give my impeachment at the time and wrote a very serious dissenting opinion. In this case, I believed, I hoped, and somewhere I still trusted those three additional people who were needed to accept this lawsuit. I hoped and still have some trust that these three additional judges could recognize this issue and facilitate a swift return to constitutional order, thereby restoring peace. I believed in those three judges who did not support the impeachment; I believed they were not subdued,” Zourabichvili remarked in an interview with Georgia’s First Channel.

When asked about one of those judges who, despite previously opposing her impeachment, failed to support the plaintiffs’ current demands, Zourabichvili replied, “He was subdued, what can I do?”

In response to whether this judge was independent last year but subdued this year, she asserted, “There is increasing pressure on individuals.”

“Look, what is happening in the country, aren’t you watching? That there is more and more pressure on people. In short, I had hoped that from these nine judges, at least six would recognize their duty to calm the country—considering the tensions, protests, and all other disturbances—to restore the tranquillity we so desperately need because stability is what everyone desires most.

They had the power to initiate this. First and foremost, as judges, they should at least have accepted the case for discussion and listened. Every lawyer agrees that not accepting this lawsuit seemed hastily concluded, likely under significant pressure, as the public was urging the Constitutional Court for assistance. Unfortunately, they did not heed that call—they did not accept, discuss, or listen,” Zourabichvili stated.