Parliament Chairman Shalva Papuashvili Addresses President Zourabichvili's Exclusion from Delivering Speech at Celebratory Concert
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
In response to a journalist's inquiry about President Salome Zourabichvili's presence at the celebratory concert on December 15, marking Georgia's achievement of EU candidacy status, without an opportunity to address the audience, Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, remarked that Zourabichvili "was among the people, not with the people."
Papuashvili emphasized that the Georgian government stood with the people and delivered the status of EU membership candidate to its citizens.
According to Papuashvili, when a person deliberately violates the oath and the constitution, they distance themselves from the people. He accused Zourabichvili of creating divisions in society and portraying the country in a negative light.
Parliament Chairman emphasized that the government, unlike some opposition figures, is consistent and not impulsive. He argued that President Zourabichvili's actions demonstrate a disregard for the constitution.
"She was truly among the people, but she is not with the people, especially after breaking the oath taken before God and the nation, confirmed by the decision of the Constitutional Court. When a person violates their oath, breaches the Constitution willfully and grossly, they put themselves beyond the reach of the people. Therefore, Mrs. Salome put herself in this situation by violating the constitution.
The constitutional verdict against her has already been pronounced by the Constitutional Court and also by the parliamentary majority, on behalf of the majority of the population of Georgia. Among them, this behavior of hers once again confirms that she is completely directed to somehow create divisions in society and a bad image, to present her country in a bad light.
The government differs from some agitated oppositionists in that we are consistent and not impulsive. The sequence implies that Ms. Salome violated the President's oath, breached the Constitution of Georgia, as confirmed in the decision of the Constitutional Court. Most importantly, she declares that she will continue to violate the Constitution of Georgia. Therefore, a person who violates the Constitution of Georgia cannot be with the people whose constitution it is," Papuashvili stated.
