Parliament Suspends MP Mandate to Vano Zardiashvili

Vano Zardiashvili, former member of the parliamentary majority, has been suspended of his MP mandate at the today’s session of the Parliament with 94 votes in favor.

Zardiashvili announced about his plans to renounce his MP mandate in early October, citing “three-year dirty, negative campaign” against him as the reason behind his decision.

Zardiashvili’s statement came two weeks after a noisy incident between him and independent lawmaker, Eka Beselia during an interview with a Supreme Court judicial candidate at the session of the Parliament’s Legal Issues Committee. In response to Zardiashvili’s remark, Beselia physically assaulted him.

Zardiashvili entered the Parliament in 2016. Earlier in 2013-2016, he served as the deputy chief auditor. In 2012-2013, he was the head of department at the High Council of Justice of Georgia.

Zardiashvili’s political activities frequently triggered strong criticism from opposition parties and civil society organizations, who considered him a person with close links to influential judges, accusing him of supporting the ruling party in establishing control over the judiciary. Zardiashvili, however, constantly denied any influence on the judiciary.

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