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Complied by Liana Bezhanishvili
Wednesday, November 11
Member of the Constitutional Commission resigns in protest
Rezonansi reports that a member of the State Constitutional Commission, Zurab Jibghashvili, has resigned from it in protest at the actions of President Mikheil Saakashvili. Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Avtandil Demetrashvili thinks Jibghashvili’s decision is just, although he himself is not going to leave the Commission yet.
Jibghashvili’s resignation was provoked by President initiating Constitutional change in Parliament, bypassing the Commission. “As the President is trying to introduce Constitutional change without consulting the Commission due process is not being followed and I thus think that it is impossible for me to work there. Since Parliament started discussing the President’s proposals I have not met the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission and I do not know what he is going to do. But I want to state my respect for the authority on Constitutional law Mr. Avtandil Demetrashvili, who will not allow the Government to abrogate the due process of Constitutional change,” stated Zurab Jibghashvili.
“We have already made these same statements, not as a protest but as a statement of position. The first person to make such a statement was Tengiz Sharmanishvili, the Commission’s Secretary, not Zurab Jibghashvili. I also said after the Commission was created on 8 June 2009 an absolutely new legal system and new regime for any Constitutional alteration had been established,” said Avtandil Demetrashvili.
“Are not my words enough? Or it is necessary to leave? I am not going to leave my post and I think that what has happened is the wrong way to make changes in Constitutional law. It is the anomaly of having three overlapping committees,” added Avtandil Demetrashvili.
Intellect triumphs over talent in politics
Kviris Palitra writes that the National Forum chose a different tactic from the rest of its opposition colleagues on 7 November by arranging to meet in front of Kashveti church rather than the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) building. Maybe this was done to show how many people it could bring out independently. Its leader Gubaz Sanikidze said that the opposition and the Georgian public have begun the third and final wave of combat against Saakashvili’s Government.
“The GPB building has nothing to do with what happened on 7 November 2007. Rustaveli Avenue and Rike were the sites of the events which took place on that date. I think it was not right to arrange the summer protest actions which took place outside the GPB building. We asked our colleagues to open the road they had blocked. It was unsuccessful protest action. Saakashvili is a very talented man, that is why we have to plan something more global,” Sanikidze said.
Asked, If you acknowledge that Saakashvili is very talented why do you say that he is not able to govern the country? Sanikidze answered, “The main problem, and danger, is that he is very immoral. There are untalented but very intelligent people in the Government…. Saakashvili is talented but does not know how to behave. Intellect triumphs over talent in politics. Although there are people who are both talented and intelligent, as Davit the Builder was, and also Napoleon and Churchill, Georgians are very talented but short on common sense.”
Rezonansi reports that a member of the State Constitutional Commission, Zurab Jibghashvili, has resigned from it in protest at the actions of President Mikheil Saakashvili. Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Avtandil Demetrashvili thinks Jibghashvili’s decision is just, although he himself is not going to leave the Commission yet.
Jibghashvili’s resignation was provoked by President initiating Constitutional change in Parliament, bypassing the Commission. “As the President is trying to introduce Constitutional change without consulting the Commission due process is not being followed and I thus think that it is impossible for me to work there. Since Parliament started discussing the President’s proposals I have not met the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission and I do not know what he is going to do. But I want to state my respect for the authority on Constitutional law Mr. Avtandil Demetrashvili, who will not allow the Government to abrogate the due process of Constitutional change,” stated Zurab Jibghashvili.
“We have already made these same statements, not as a protest but as a statement of position. The first person to make such a statement was Tengiz Sharmanishvili, the Commission’s Secretary, not Zurab Jibghashvili. I also said after the Commission was created on 8 June 2009 an absolutely new legal system and new regime for any Constitutional alteration had been established,” said Avtandil Demetrashvili.
“Are not my words enough? Or it is necessary to leave? I am not going to leave my post and I think that what has happened is the wrong way to make changes in Constitutional law. It is the anomaly of having three overlapping committees,” added Avtandil Demetrashvili.
Intellect triumphs over talent in politics
Kviris Palitra writes that the National Forum chose a different tactic from the rest of its opposition colleagues on 7 November by arranging to meet in front of Kashveti church rather than the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) building. Maybe this was done to show how many people it could bring out independently. Its leader Gubaz Sanikidze said that the opposition and the Georgian public have begun the third and final wave of combat against Saakashvili’s Government.
“The GPB building has nothing to do with what happened on 7 November 2007. Rustaveli Avenue and Rike were the sites of the events which took place on that date. I think it was not right to arrange the summer protest actions which took place outside the GPB building. We asked our colleagues to open the road they had blocked. It was unsuccessful protest action. Saakashvili is a very talented man, that is why we have to plan something more global,” Sanikidze said.
Asked, If you acknowledge that Saakashvili is very talented why do you say that he is not able to govern the country? Sanikidze answered, “The main problem, and danger, is that he is very immoral. There are untalented but very intelligent people in the Government…. Saakashvili is talented but does not know how to behave. Intellect triumphs over talent in politics. Although there are people who are both talented and intelligent, as Davit the Builder was, and also Napoleon and Churchill, Georgians are very talented but short on common sense.”