It's not serious to boycott because I don't want to sit in the hall, I don't like the person next to me, I don't see someone and therefore I don't want to breathe the same air! - This is the announcement of a boycott of one's own parliamentary activity and, ultimately, for the voters, - said the Chairman of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili.
On the day of the Bureau, the faction of the "National Movement", political groups "Lelo", "Citizens", "EuroOptimists", "Freedom", as well as independent MPs: Tamar Kordzaia, Armaz Akhvlediani, Tamar Charkviani, Salome Samadashvili and Davit Bakradze submitted appeals. About non-attendance at weekly sessions. The representatives of the parliamentary opposition announced the boycott after the third reading of the draft law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" by the Parliament.
As Papuashvili said at the session of the Bureau, it is important for the MPs to indicate, in particular, what issue they are boycotting. According to his own assessment, the opposition members of the parliament escaped their responsibility.
"In many cases, boycotting is not an accepted practice in other parliaments, although boycotting is provided for in ours. The regulation states that a member of the parliament announces a boycott of an issue to be discussed at the plenary session and does not take part in the discussion of the issue due to political considerations.
Being in the boardroom isn't about sharing other people's opinions—it's about representing your own constituents. The one who does not enter the meeting hall refuses to present his voter to the highest representative body.
In fact, the opposition presented the statement of Arsiyar at the sessions, and not what the regulations provide for. Parliament discusses many important issues, which are important for both majority and opposition voters. When the deputy does not want to participate in the discussion of these issues, it means that he does not want goodness and good decisions for his constituents," Papuashvili said at the Bureau session.
For information, only Iago Khvichia attended the session from the opposition MPs who are members of the Bureau.