Three Conservative MPs Quit Parliamentary Majority, Positions

Three lawmakers of the Georgian Dream–Conservatives faction announced about quitting the parliamentary majority group and their respective parliamentary positions on November 15, leading to dissolution of the six-member faction.

The list of MPs who quit includes Vice Speaker Zviad Dzidziguri, first deputy chair of the foreign relations committee Nino Goguadze; and leader of Georgian Dream–Conservatives faction Giga Bukia.

The decision comes a day after the Parliament voted down the constitutional amendment on transition to the proportional electoral system by 2020.

At today’s news briefing, Dzidziguri strongly criticized the Parliament’s decision to downvote the constitutional amendment. “We do not intend to stay in the place, where such decisions, unjustified from both political and moral points of view, are adopted” he noted.

Echoing Dzidziguri’s statement, Nino Goguadze said she “cannot see” herself in the parliamentary majority.

Giga Bukia, the faction leader noted that “keeping promises is extremely important” for him, adding that there is no capacity left for him to remain in the majority where “opinion of Kakha Okriashvili (‘rebel’ majoritarian MP who voted against the bill – editorial note) weighs more than that of Bidzina Ivanishvili [ruling party’s chairperson]”.

Ruslan Gajiyev, Paata Kvizhinadze and Mukhran Vakhtangadze are the other three MPs from the faction. Speaking with reporters on November 15, Vakhtangadze, majoritarian MP representing the city of Batumi, said that he remain in Georgian Dream. Two other members have yet to comment.

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