ISFED can join working group if they withdraw their gov't resignation demand, Parliament Chairman says
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, August 22, 2022
The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, said that the Fair Elections (ISFED) did not withdraw from the demand for the resignation of the government and creation of the technical government, and this was the reason why the ruling party did not invite the organization to the meeting of the working group created on the issue of revision of the election code.
Civil society demanded the creation of a technical government on June 24, 2022, after the European Council did not grant Georgia the status of a candidate for the European Union.
"They could not bring this ultimatum to the end, because people turned their backs on this radical demand, however, they did not withdraw this ultimatum.
When ISFED expressed interest in participating in the parliamentary working group, we communicated with the civil society platform. Our question to ISFED was whether they still demand this requirement or not.
We suggested that if they are not making this request, they could participate in the working group.
We have not heard any position from ISFED on this matter. They refuse to budge on this demand. Therefore, they were not invited to the working group," Papuashvili said.
After the refusal of fair elections, other non-governmental organizations also left the working group as a sign of protest. "If they do not share this position and remove this requirement, of course they can fully participate in the working groups," added the Speaker of the Parliament.
According to him, it will be difficult to talk about constructive cooperation under the conditions of the ultimatum by ISFED.
"For several days we have seen an attempt to manipulate perception instead of facts. The facts are actually quite simple. Regarding the non-governmental organization "Fair Elections", you remember that on June 24, the second day after the decision was made by the European Commission, a protest was held, organized by ISFED, where ISFED and several non-governmental organizations presented a one-week ultimatum to the parliament, that the parliament should dismiss the government and choose the so-called technical government, in the process of formation of which ISFED and other organizations, who were the organizers of this protest, would have the right of veto.
After ISFED expressed interest in working on the parliamentary working group, our question to ISFED was, do they still share this ultimatum, do they still support this demand? It is about an ultimatum to participate in the formation of the government by several non-governmental organizations, including ISFED, which does not have any democratic legitimacy, and therefore, this process is beyond any democratic scope.
Regarding our offer to take a position, if they do not share this demand, they could participate in the working group, if they continue to speak in the language of an ultimatum, that the parliament dissolve the government, appoint a "technical government," of course, in this case, it will be difficult to talk about constructive cooperation," Papuashvili said.
