Christian-Democrats Make Parliamentary Debut
Lawmakers from the Christian-Democratic Party made their parliamentary debut on June 20.
The Christian-Democratic Party, led by Giorgi Targamadze, has been criticized by the opposition coalition for its decision not to boycott the new parliament. It has been called “a pseudo-opposition.”
Targamadze reiterated his party’s position in a speech in Parliament on June 20 that the legislature and the election results did not reflect the real public mood. He justified his party’s entry, however, saying more progress could be made from within Parliament.
The party also said the ruling party’s implementation of agreements reached on June 12 was a factor in its decision not to boycott Parliament.
Vice-Speaker Mikheil Machavariani welcomed the Christian-Democrats’ decision, saying a dissenting voice in Parliament was a positive sign.
The party’s parliamentary debut follows the path taken by MP Jondi Bagaturia a few days previously. Bagaturia, elected on the opposition coalition’s joint ticket, quit the coalition in order to take his seat in Parliament.
On June 20 he called on lawmakers to set up an investigative commission to probe into alleged electoral violations during the May 21 parliamentary elections.
Parliamentary Chairman Davit Bakradze, however, told MP Bagaturia that parliamentary regulations did not allow for the establishment of such a committee based on the initiative of just one lawmaker. The regulations stipulate that the parliamentary chairman, a parliamentary committee, a faction or at least one fourth of the lawmakers can do so.
