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Adjara Supreme Council MP quits Georgian Dream

By Tatia Megeneishvili
Tuesday, February 10
Controversial member of the Adjara Supreme Council Medea Vasadze, quit the Georgian Dream party and has reduced the party’s influence in the decision-making-process.

She released a statement reflecting the reasons behind her leaving. Vasadze stresses the solution was not emotionally-based.

“It was the result of two years and five months worth of thinking,” she claims, and stresses that the Georgian Dream authorities failed to establish a fair situation in the region and empower regional structures.

“The central government is trying to grab all of the power at the expense of weakening the regional bodies,” she says.

Currently, in the 21-member legislative body in Adjara, the Georgian Dream party enjoys 10 members. However, it has lost its majority through Vasadze’s decision.

MP from the Adjara region Anjor Bolkvadze believes that she should not have quit the Georgian Dream, while the opposition United National Movement member at the Adjara Supreme Council Petre Zambakhidze believes that more deputies should leave the majority.

“The central government has a key influence on the Adjara Supreme Council, so if the majority members in the body have honor, they will leave,” he said.

Vasadze has attracted public attention several times for her relations with media representatives.

Georgian ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili has even called on the Adjara Supreme Council to study the case of MP Vasadze, who reportedly tried to have pressure placed on journalist Jaba Samushia. Samushia stated that Vasadze threatened him over his film “With the Highest Comfort”. The film aired by TV 25 and featured footage of the investigation of members of the Adjara Supreme Council, their work and budget expenditures.

Vasadze, along with some other MPs, also demanded the impeachment of Archil Khabadze, the Adjara government head, but the effort failed.