Ruling Party MPs Deny Speculations on Early Elections

Officials denounced as “not serious” reports circulating in the Georgian media about the possible assignment of early parliamentary elections.

InterPressNews agency reported on April 10 that President Saakashvili is considering dissolving the Parliament, sacking the cabinet and calling early parliamentary elections.  

“You should not even ask such non-serious questions,” MP Maia Nadiradze, who chairs the parliamentary majority of the National Movement party, told reporters when asked to comment on the report.

MP Levan Bezhashvili, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Issues, said that currently there is no legal ground to even speculate about the issue, as the Georgian Constitution says that the President can dissolve the Parliament in case of budgetary dispute, or disagreement between the Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers.

MP Beso Jugheli, also a member of the ruling National Movement party and chair the Majoritarian parliamentary faction, said on April 10 that he would not be against the Parliament’s dissolution. He also told reporters that problems also persist in the cabinet.

Opposition parliamentarians demanded last week that the President sack the cabinet.

“Parliament should also be dissolved, as it has turned into ineffective body,” MP Zurab Tkemaladze, the leader of the Industrialists Party, said on April 10.