New Parliamentary Faction Planned

A new opposition parliamentary faction led by MP Valeri Gelbakhiani is to be set up in the near future, Georgian media sources suggested on September 12.

The new faction will reportedly comprise five parliamentarians from the Independent Majoritarians faction; MPs Gocha Jojua and Gogi Tsulaia, who quit the ruling party recently; an MP from the opposition Labor Party, Temur Dolishvili; and several members of the National Movement faction. At least 10 lawmakers are needed to formally create a faction.  

?We ? about 15 parliamentarians ? have gathered and discussed the issue of setting up a new faction. I think that soon we will announce the formation of a new faction,? MP Gogi Tsulaia told Mze television on September 12.

Parliamentarians from the ruling majority party have downplayed the significance of further potential defections, saying they would change nothing.

In a separate development, according to media reports, talks are also underway to create another faction, reportedly to act as a parliamentary powerbase for the ex-defense  minister, Irakli Okruashvili. Several lawmakers from the ruling party are also expected to defect to this party. 

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