Seven Georgian Dream MPs Leave Parliamentary Majority, Positions

Seven Georgian Dream lawmakers have announced that they quit the parliamentary majority and their respective parliamentary positions, over the failure of the parliament of Georgia to pass the constitutional amendment envisaging transition to fully proportional electoral system from 2020.

The list of MPs that quit the parliamentary positions and majority includes:

• First Deputy Speaker Tamar Chugoshvili,
• Chair of Committee on European Integration Tamar Khulordava, her First Deputy Irine Pruidze and committee member Giorgi Mosidze; 
• Chair and Deputy of Foreign Relations Committee Sofio Katsarava and Dimitri Tskitishvili, respectively;
• Chair of Education, Science and Culture Committee Mariam Jashi;
• First Deputy Chairperson of Environmental Protection And Natural Resources Committee Zaza Khutsishvili.

Minutes after the vote, the First Deputy Speaker Chugoshvili told the media that she is aware of her responsibility over the failure to pass the amendment, as she was among those trying to convince international community and Georgian society that the country would switch to fully proportional electoral system.  “I have no other choice after today’s vote”, she added. 

“I have a great hope that the ruling party will manage the processes so that it would not grow in difficulties for the country, not [just for] the ruling party or any single party, but for the country,” Tamar Chugoshvili told journalists. 

Chugoshvili also underlined that she will not support any actions that might lead the country into the crisis. “I will not participate in anything that can contribute to turmoil in the country. If anyone has such plans, I do not consider myself with them,” she added.

Outgoing First Deputy Speaker also noted that the decision to quit the party was not planned well ahead, but rather was the “reaction on the voting results.” 

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