Irakli Kobakhidze on the call to ban Gakharia’s party: "It is true that they entered Parliament, yet to this day, they do not recognize the constitutional order or the legitimacy of the government; under these circumstances, they are no different in spirit from the others"
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that he cannot say in advance whether another political force will be added to the list of parties facing a ban.
At the same time, Kobakhidze explained why Georgian Dream had also called for a ban on Giorgi Gakharia’s party.
"You are aware of the grounds for reviving the lawsuit. While it is true that they entered Parliament, to this day they do not recognize the constitutional order or the legitimacy of the government. Under these circumstances, the spirit of this political party's activities is no different from that of other relevant political parties. Consequently, in our view, including this specific political party in the lawsuit was the only option.
At the time, they had just entered Parliament, and we gave the party an opportunity to acknowledge the constitutional order; however, an entire session has passed without them doing so—instead, they have actively opposed the constitutional order. You can find numerous statements from them to this effect—that they do not recognize the constitutional order—and the rest of the details are set out in the lawsuit. The proceedings will be public, and our arguments will be presented openly before the court and the public.
As for when the review will conclude, that depends on the court. The maximum timeframe is nine months. While we would prefer it not take the full nine months, it is up to the court to decide," [he/she] stated. ...said Kobakhidze.
When asked whether any other party would be added to the lawsuit, Kobakhidze stated that he "cannot say anything about that in advance."
"I cannot tell you anything in advance; I believe this is the exhaustive list that the court needs to deliberate on. That is the current situation," Kobakhidze declared.
Notably, Georgian Dream is petitioning the Constitutional Court to ban the Gakharia for Georgia party among other parties.
An updated constitutional lawsuit will be submitted to the Constitutional Court this week, adding the party of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia to the case.
