The statement of the Georgian Dream political council that the Government will apply to the Constitutional Court to establish the violation of the Constitution by the President serves to divert public attention from the acute issues raised in the President’s annual report.

Although the ruling party, in its statement, mentions several cases of the violation of the Constitution by the President at various times, it voiced the initiative to take legal action the day after the President’s annual report was delivered in the Parliament. In the report, the President criticized the Government and mentioned significant problems in the country’s undemocratic governance.

The dispute referred to in the political council’s statement regarding the violation of the Constitution by the President and the separation of powers has no legal basis and no prospect of success.

Within the framework of the annual address to the Parliament, the President made alarming assessments about the state of democracy in the country. She identified the following problems:

The country is not working on a single, agreed plan or package of reforms, which are necessary for EU membership;

Political polarization and its damaging effects;

There is no practice of political cooperation (war and related threats have not become the subject of discussion between the majority and the opposition in the Parliament, or between the President and the Government);

Relevant institutions are not working properly (the Security Council has not held a session, the Parliament has not held an extraordinary session);

At the very time when the state should have enhanced communication with partner countries and organizations, the Government refused the President to pay working visits to Paris, Berlin and Warsaw.

In response to the problems mentioned in the annual report presented to Parliament, the President voiced the initiative to create the Office of the State Minister for European Integration.

Accordingly, on the one hand, the ruling party is belatedly questioning the President’s departure from the country, as well as a number of powers exercised by the President in the past, and on the other hand, it is not responding to the acute issues raised in the President’s annual report, and is not explaining what plan the ruling authorities have to resolve political polarization or to strengthen efforts towards European integration.

We call on the parliamentary majority: to stop the futile political debate aimed at covering up real  problems; to immediately begin substantive discussions on the challenges facing the country within the framework of constitutional institutions and not in a narrow party format.

We call on the parliamentary opposition: to stand above their own partsan interests and use all levers to discuss the problems named by the President in parliamentary formats.

We call on the media: to use the powerful leverage at their disposal and prioritize coverage of the state's response to the problems identified in the President's annual report.

Signatory organizations:

Democracy Index - Georgia

Democracy Research Institute (DRI)