Speaker says President Zourabichvili can engage in impeachment discussion as co-rapporteur

Wednesday and Thursday are the two days when we will have the opportunity to discuss the issue of the President’s impeachment. Let us see how we go through the rest of the issues, and schedule impeachment consideration accordingly. I will tell you more about this when I present the draft statutory order,” Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili said at a plenary session.

The Speaker of Parliament explained the procedure for considering the impeachment issue in detail.

“Today, I will present a draft order, which, according to the regulations, is a schedule for discussion and voting. We have two weeks to make a decision. Since we have a plenary session this week, we can discuss and vote on this issue.

As for the form of discussion, it is similar to the first reading. In particular, a rapporteur from among the submission’s authors will state his position. Then, according to the resolution, parliament can invite the relevant official, in this case, the President of Georgia, to participate in the discussion.

I submitted my application yesterday, and we are waiting for the final response. Apparently, Madam President wants to participate, and if so, we will definitely invite her to take part in the discussion as a co-rapporteur. There is an opportunity to ask questions and clarifications to both the rapporteur and the co-rapporteur. The first reading provides for discourses by committees, but since any sectoral considerations are inappropriate here, there will be no addresses by committees, and we will move on to non-faction members, political groups and factions. In the end, the rapporteur, but not the co-rapporteur, will have the opportunity to deliver a closing speech.

This will be a procedure after which we have a vote. You know that 100 votes are needed for impeachment,” said Shalva Papuashvili.