Parliament Renounces MP Mandates of Eleven Opposition Leaders

Parliament has renounced the MP mandates of eleven lawmakers elected on the opposition coalition’s joint ticket on June 20.

The lawmakers are: Levan Gachechiladze; Davit Gamkrelidze, leader of New Rights Party; Konstantine Gamsakhurdia – leader of the Freedom party; Zviad Dzidziguri – Conservative Party; Koba Davitashvili – leader of Party of People; Eka Beselia– Movement for United Georgia; Gubaz Sanikidze – National Forum; Giorgi Khaindrava – individual member of the bloc; Pikria Chikhradze – New Rights Party; Davit Saganelidze – New Rights Party; Mamuka Katsitadze – New Rights Party. 

All of them made an official appeal on June 13 to the parliamentary chairman to renounce their MP mandates.

One more lawmaker from the New Rights party, Irakli Iashvili, made an official appeal requesting renouncing his MP mandate later than his other opposition colleagues, so his request is expected to be approved by the Parliament next week.

Five more MPs elected on the coalition joint ticket have refused to do the same. Of them, only Jondi Bagaturia, leader of the Georgian Troupe, attended the parliamentary session on June 18. The other four lawmakers – non-aligned Gia Tortladze and Gia Tsagareishvili; Paata Davitaia, leader of On Our Own party and Dimitri Lortkipanidze, former member of Georgia’s Way party, who quit the bloc after the elections – are boycotting Parliament.

Parliamentary Chairman Davit Bakradze reiterated at a session on June 20 that he was ready for a dialogue with opposition lawmakers within Parliament, as well as those, who “chose the radical move of quitting the parliament.”

“It is very regrettable that some of our colleagues have chosen to neglect the interests of their voters,” Bakradze said.

Next week Parliament will discuss the appeals of four lawmakers from the Labor Party, including its leader Shalva Natelashvili, on renouncing their MP mandates. 

Six candidates on the Labor Party ticket were elected. Two of them – formally not Labor Party members – Nugzar Ergemlidze and Ramaz Tedoradze have already entered Parliament, triggering Labor Party leadership criticism.