TBILISI — A lawmaker from the majority coalition in the Georgian parliament, Gia Jorjoliani, said he planned to start the procedure of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's impeachment this week.
"I think the reasons for the parliament to start the president's impeachment procedure are more than sufficient. As a member of parliament, I will start the required procedures on Wednesday. I hope that the majority of parliamentarians will support this initiative," Jorjoliani said Sunday.
He said that although Saakashvili is certainly to lose the post in October, the impeachment was needed "for society to gain full understanding of how ruinous the actions of this criminal regime were for the country."
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream coalition swept the October 1, 2012, parliamentary elections in Georgia, rode to victory on an anti-Saakashvili platform and seemed to capitalize on public discontent with the president. During his tenure, a number of high-ranking officials from the Saakashvili government were investigated for suspected corruption and abuse of office.
However, Ivanishvili said last year that he would not push for the president's impeachment.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
