Supreme Court Picks New Judge for Constitutional Court

Supreme Court elected on September 20 Temur Tugushi as a new member of the Constitutional Court.

Tugushi, which was nominated by Supreme Court chairperson Nino Gvenetadze, has served as head of Constitutional Court’s legal and research department for about past five years.

President, Parliament and the Supreme Court each appoint three members of the 9-seat Constitutional Court for a 10-year term.

Tugushi will replace Otar Sichinava, whose 10-year term expires by the end of this month.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili has appointed Irina Imerlishvili, secretary of the National Security Council, and Giorgi Kverenchkhiladze, former parliamentary secretary of the President, as new judges of the Constitutional Court; they will replace Chairman of the Constitutional Court Giorgi Papuashvili and his deputy Konstantine Vardzelashvili, whose 10-year term in office will expire on September 30.

One more seat will also become vacant in the Constitutional Court by the end of this month, when Ketevan Eremadze’s 10-year term expires; this upcoming vacancy should be filled by a new judge elected by the Parliament.

But the outgoing Parliament is not expected to gather for a session anymore so it will be up to the next legislative body, which should be elected in the October 8 elections, to fill one vacancy in the Constitutional Court.