Georgian Dream member moves to opposition
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, September 16
The Georgian Dream coalition dismissed Vice Speaker of Parliament, Murman Dumbadze, from its ranks for “meddling” in the affairs of the Adjara Autonomous Republic government. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili stated that Dumbadze had been warned not to interfere. Dumbadze claims that it was his own decision to quit the coalition, as the party failed to support him in important state and regional issues. Later Dumbadze stressed that the negative campaign against him was linked to Bidzina Ivanishvili and the construction of the Azize Mosque in Batumi.
Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia’s (GDDG) seven-member faction in the Supreme Council of Adjara launched a campaign against the local government and its chair Archil Khabadze. The decision was not agreed to the party. They accused Khabadze and his team of various violations and appealed to him to dismiss the local government. It was stated that the GDDG faction in the Supreme Council and its attempts to impeach Khabadze was backed by MP Dumbadze.
“Dumbadze was involved in destructive actions against the local government, even Ivanishvili warned him several time to refrain from such actions,” Gharibashvili said after the party sitting on September 14. Three members of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara- Aleksandre Chitishvili, Medea Vasadze and Jemal Putkaradze received reprimands. The political council of GD also made a solution to create a special council studying the allegations against the local government.
Commenting on the issue, Dumbadze advised the Prime Minister to read the constitution. He stated that involvement in the staff policy or other region-related issues was his constitutional right.
He stressed that he appealed to the party to support in the impeachment issues.
“In the case of refusal, I promised them that I would quit the party and so I did,” Dumbadze, said, stressing that from now he will be in opposition of the Georgian Dream coalition.
The following day Dumbadze named a different reason for his dismissal and emphasized that the decision was due to his attitude towards Ivanishvili.
He stressed that he was against the constructing of the Azize mosque in Batumi and demanded support in this regard.
“One and a half years ago I told Ivanishvili that the mosque will not be built in Batumi. After the statement, Ivanisvili refused to speak with me on any issue,” Dumbadze said.
He stated that very soon the Georgian Dream faction in the Adjara Supreme Council will be destroyed.
