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Parliament Terminates Two Opposition MPs’ Mandates, per Their Request

Parliament of Georgia. Photo: parliament.ge

Parliament of Georgia terminated the parliamentary mandates of Zurab Japaridze of Girchi – More Freedom and Mamuka Khazaradze of Lelo parties, as per their request.

Lelo leader Mamuka Khazaradze requested the termination after announcing during the opposition rally on October 31, protesting “void” local polls, he would quit the Parliament and “fight for free Georgia” from the streets. The three other Lelo MPs remain in the legislature, but are boycotting plenary sessions over jailed ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili’s treatment by the authorities.

Khazaradze will not be replaced by anyone, as the Lelo party annulled its proportional list in December 2020, during the opposition boycott over “rigged” parliamentary elections. The party had received 3.15% of votes in the elections, securing four parliamentary mandates.

As for Zurab Japaridze, he demanded his mandate be terminated after the Georgian Dream quit in July 2021 the EU-brokered April 19 agreement between the governing party and the opposition. Japaridze then again applied for the mandate termination, protesting “stolen” local elections.

Japaridze was elected to the Parliament under the proportional list of the New Political Center – Girchi party, which received 2.89% of votes in the general polls and clinched four mandates. He split from the outfit in December 2020, establishing a new, Girchi – More Freedom party.

Japaridze’s mandate will now be transferred to Hermann Szabó of the NPC – Girchi. 

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