Parliament odyssey

Georgian Parliament session will be held on October 21 in Kutaisi in the newly constructed building. This is how it is stipulated according to the last amendments of the constitution. However, the irony it is that the majority of the parliament will be occupied by the people who were against the parliament’s removal from Tbilisi to Kutaisi. Presumably this will be one of the topics of hot debate in the Kutaisi Parliament. Moving parliament to Kutaisi was initiated by the representative of the United National Movement MP in Kutaisi Akaki Bobokhidze. From the very beginning even the UNM members looked at this idea as quite unrealistic, but it soon became evident that Bobokhidze was airing President Saakashvili’s idea; so accordingly, no one dared to utter a word against it from the ruling majority.

Here as well, Saakashvili used his authority to promote this decision. President Saakashvili immediately invented the new term Parliamentary capital of Georgia and accelerated the construction of the modern building with modern design.

Huge financial resources were spent during the construction process and every logical argument from the population, opposition and experts were ignored. The decision was explained by the wish to decentralize the country’s governance, to revive Kutaisi, and it was also voiced that Russian occupying tanks were located forty kilometers from Tbilisi.

Saakashvili and his regime ignored all commonsense arguments, and insisted on adopting more and more amendments in the constitution. In a hurry, the President abruptly held the May 26 National Independence Day Celebrations in Kutaisi, and held the first parliamentary elections session in the half constructed Parliament building. By the way, this action resulted in the collapse of one of the portions of the building and the death of a worker there.

The October 1 elections’ results frustrated the UNM’s adventurous plans. The Georgian Dream coalition came to power, based on logical, rational positions. However, it is obliged to respect the constitution decision and they have to start working in Kutaisi until the appropriate changes will be introduced to the constitution.

Meanwhile, Saakashvili and his gang ordered the dismantling of the former parliament building interior. A major session hall as well as other smaller premises were stripped, chairs, tables, desks equipment, voting systems, loudspeakers… everything was removed. Rumors came out that the building was sold. The decision to bring the parliament back to Tbilisi means it requires constitutional majority support (2/3 of the whole parliament members). Unfortunately, the Georgian Dream does not have this majority currently. Therefore, the former ruling party will go against such a decision. Saakashvili and his gang will deliberately create subversive problems for the Georgian Dream, but as one analyst suggested, the UNM is digging its own grave.