Georgia Considers Withdrawing from CIS

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said on Tuesday that it is now possible to launch discussions over Georgia?s possible withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

?I think that a proposal to launch considerations over our withdrawal from the CIS is absolutely acceptable. But I think that we [parliamentary majority] will need some additional consultations, including with the President over this issue,? Nino Burjanadze said at the parliamentary session on November 22.

Burjanadze?s statement follows a proposal voiced by opposition parliamentarian from the Republican Party Davit Berdzenishvili, who requested MPs from the ruling National Movement party to launch consideration over the country?s pull out from the CIS.

Previously demands over the withdrawal from this organization were mainly voiced by opposition parties, but after a current visa row, involving Russia?s initial refusal to grant a visa to senior Georgian parliamentarian Givi Targamadze, politicians from the ruling party also started to hint that Georgia might pull out from CIS.