Parliamentary Crisis Is in Its Zenith

The Resonance; The Akhali Taoba; The Dilis Gazeti, The Alia

Since President Shevardnadze has left the post of head of the Citizens’ Union of Georgia the Parliament is changing around. The process rearrangement started long time ago. Experts predict that the parliamentary majority will break into pieces. “Several groups will be formed in case the majority comes apart: first is the President’s wing, which is the same as Lekishvili’s “conservative” team; Saakashvili-Zhvania’s wing comes the second; Mamaladze’s (governor of lower Kartli, region in southern Georgia) team is the third; that of majorettes is the fourth; and the faction Abkhazia will form the fifth group”, the Akhali Taoba assumes.

According to the Resonance, two new coalitions will be established in the Parliament. Teams of Niko Lekishvili, Vazha Lortkipanidze and Levan Mamaladze will be united in one of them. They will have Shevardnadze as their new but at the same time old leader. The New Right Wings are also thought to support the President. Saakashvili-Zhvania’s team of the CUG will form the second coalition, which is thought to find itself in the opposition.

Transformations are taking place in the parliamentary opposition also. It is supposed that the Industrialists, the Traditionalists and the faction “New Abkhazia” will form a coalition soon, which will back up Zhvania being in the opposition, the Dilis Gazeti considers.

“Shevardnadze would not let Zhvania that easily if he did not expect support from the Parliament”, the Alia assumes. The President will probably have a new majority. Agreement about the issue might have already been reached with Aslan Abashidze, leader of Abkhazia Autonomous Republic, the Alia says. It is clear that the newspaper exposes Shevardnadze in alliance with the present parliamentary opposition.

“Current situation in Georgian Parliament is adequate to that of 1992 when there were many factions in the legislative branch and Shevardnadze directed them in its advantage”, the Resonance says. 

Regrouping process in the Parliament will cause change of Head of the Parliament: “The ruling party faces serious troubles. Parliamentary crisis is in its zenith. Overcoming the crisis and resigning of Parliamentary Chairman Zurab Zhvania are strongly related to each other”. The newspaper regards Niko Lecishvili a new candidate on the position of Parliamentary Chairman.

The Alia has an opposite point of view. “Weakened Zhvania is not that weak to be dismissed from the post taken”, the newspaper says.