Ruling party establishes the regional organization in Adjara
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, July 18
The regional organization of “Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia” (GD) was founded in Adjara for the first time. The working meeting was led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, Chairman of the party.
Tornike Rizhvadze, the head of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, was presented as the Chairman of the GD organization of Adjara. His candidacy is to be formally approved by the party congress, which is scheduled for spring.
“This is a new initiative concerning the formation of the regional organization of the Adjara, it is a completely new structural unit within the party, which will carry out party activities in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara,” stated Tornike Rizhvadze.
“We must maximize party work. The party was primarily active from the elections to the next elections; we refuse from this regime and from now on GD will be active all the time, including the period in between elections. We need more communication with the public,” said Ivanishvili.
He announced, that GD will be even more engaged from September: “We will go out and answer all the questions, we will have many polemics about the quality of infrastructural projects, we will introduce a new budget especially in the regions.”
Leaders of the “Georgian Dream” were present at the presentation: Secretary-General Kakha Kaladze, Executive Secretary Irakli Kobakhidze, Political Secretary Irakli Gharibashvili.
Kobakhidze, former Chairman of the parliament, who resigned after 20-21 June events commented regarding this event as well:” With the establishment of a regional organization in Adjara, we will strengthen party activities.”
According to him, the party will move to the pre-election regime; the party conferences will be held throughout the country as well as the congress.
“We have already practiced on pre-election preparations, party work will be activated, there will be different types of changes, including personnel. Before the elections new congress of the party will be held, it will allow us to meet parliamentary elections and the Supreme Council elections in Adjara with renewed energy and renewed staff members.” - said Irakli Kobakhidze.
GD executive secretary also noted that his appointment to the Constitutional Court is not on the current agenda: “As you see, I’m totally involved in party activities and I’m going to continue working until the end of the election. Accordingly, other issues, including any position in the Constitutional Court, will not be considered”.
As for the question, whether the elections of the Supreme Council of Adjara should be carried out by the proportional system, Kobakhidze claims that this issue can be discussed.
“Firstly, it’s the government of the autonomous republic that has to decide. As you know, this issue is regulated by the Constitution of Adjara Autonomous Republic, and if there’s such initiative, we are ready to discuss with the members of the Supreme Council and the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Autonomous Republic,” said Kobakhidze.
Parliament Speaker’s resignation was commented by GD chairman that day:” Irakli Kobakhidze looked at the situation and “covered” the team, he overcame the situation and left the mandate.” According to Ivanishvili, Kobakhidze did not commit any crime, and his move served to ease the tension.
He also commented about the demands of Interior Minister’s resignation, saying that after June 20 rally dispersal in Tbilisi and following demonstrations Gakharia’s resignation would have been a betrayal of the state as the opposition had plans to overthrow the government.
“Gakharia should have resigned if he failed to prevent the coup which would have caused unrest in the country. He managed to protect the state and saved the country,” Ivanishvili told journalists.
According to him, investigations are ongoing in cases of disproportionate use of force in individual cases. In addition, he noted that no one from Washington or Europe has a question about the legitimacy of the use of force on June 20.
Ivanishvili said that the address of Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker that caused rallies in the capital was a “mistake made in the protocol.”
Regarding debates raised after Russian tourist embargo, Ivanishvili said that people, who are willing to close the Russian market and stop trading are enemies of the country.
“The replacement of the Russian market is not easy for anyone, even for the Europeans, because of the basic reasoning - getting the consumers; attention are not an easy process, it requires a long time. Our products are already well-known in Russia, and they have its customers”-explained the GD leader.
Regarding upcoming elections, GD chairman said that introducing proportional system includes the probability, that one party, including GD, will not overcome 50% barrier.
“I do not exclude the fact that in 2020 we will win the majority, but if not, we will cooperate with everyone except the National Movement party” – announced Ivanishvili.
