President Margvelashvili: no necessity to change rules of Presidential elections
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, November 10
President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, who was elected in 2013, does not approve of statements of the ruling party, Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG), which claim that the process of electing the president should be changed.
Margvelashvili says there are no serious grounds as to why the governance system should be changed in the country.
“We can have many ideas but if they are not necessary, why should we implement them?” the President stated while speaking on the Archevani show on Rustavi 2 on Tuesday.
The President believes that the rule of electing the president does not represent a problem, and the idea of changing it has no real grounds.
“It was very odd that before the parliamentary elections were over, GDDG members started talking about changing the constitution, saying the practice of the president’s election was a problem. It is not a problem, it is a political issue,” stated Margvelashvili, adding that this initiative would not change or solve any existing problems in the country.
The President also excluded rumors that his term might be suspended early, saying these are “unreal fantasies”.
“The election of the president is the right of people, and before someone takes away this right, they should provide proper explanations,” the president stressed.
Majority member Gedevan Popkhadze also commented on the issue, saying changes to the constitution are necessary but not urgent.
“If we choose the president through public elections, but he has no proper rights, this means we are lying to the public,” said Popkhadze.
The MP stated that all sectors of society - the government, non-governmental organizations, professionals and the public - can hold joint discussions over the issue and reach consensus.
“We should discuss and form our position – to create a parliamentary republic or return to the presidential governance system,” Popkhadze noted.
Another member of the GDDG, Gia Volski, also responded to Margvelashvili’s statement, saying that Parliament and not the President will make the decision on the system of governance.
Volski believes the President should not have voiced this issue, because it will bring additional stress to society.
“Giorgi Margvelashvili is the President, but he does not make decisions like this. The decision will be made by the people's elected Parliament,” he added.
Margvelashvili is the fourth president in the history of independent Georgia. All four presidents were elected by the people so far.
Margvelashvili’s term expires in October 2018.
