Opposition politicians participating in the ongoing protest outside the parliament building assert that the gathering of Georgian Dream deputies within the framework of the 11th Convocation Parliament is both unconstitutional and illegal.
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Ana Natsvlishvili, a member of the 10th Convocation parliament from the Lelo party, asserts that the session lacks even minimal legal legitimacy.
“What is happening in the parliament building is illegal and unconstitutional; it has neither legal nor political legitimacy. Two lawsuits regarding the legitimacy of the elections have been filed with the Constitutional Court, yet Georgian Dream has gathered without even waiting for a favourable court ruling.
We will not join the parliament or grant legitimacy to this process. We will continue fighting alongside the people to ensure the country does not remain a servant of the Russian government,” stated Ana Natsvlishvili. She emphasized that, given the exhaustion of all legal avenues within the country, the arrival of an international mission and an impartial investigation into the elections are essential.
“There are no legal or political resources left to seek the truth domestically, so we are awaiting an international mission. Although it is true that the prosecutor's office is erasing evidence - like a fox brushing away its tracks with its tail - destroying evidence and exerting psychological pressure on witnesses, those involved in this scheme are beginning to speak out and will undoubtedly have security guarantees,” Natsvlishvili added.
Badri Japaridze, the leader of the Strong Georgia coalition, criticized Georgian Dream for violating the constitutional norm requiring the president to convene the first session of the newly formed parliament.
“The gathering in the Georgian Parliament is merely a party meeting. The decisions being made today will remain the exclusive decisions of the Georgian Dream party, unrecognized both domestically and internationally.
Under an illegitimate government, the country will face numerous serious problems and significant challenges. The sooner new elections are held, the better it will be for our country,” stated Japaridze.
Eka Kherkheulidze, a member of the 10th convocation parliament and one of the leaders of the Unity - National Movement, highlighted the unprecedented nature of holding the first session without a presidential decree or the presence of the diplomatic corps.
“They are pretending to be parliamentarians. Today’s session is not being opened by Salome Zourabichvili, and this process is occurring in the absence of the diplomatic corps. In all my years following politics, I have never witnessed anything like this. They are congratulating themselves on an act of violence. They lack the recognition of the civilized, progressive world, the people, and the diplomatic corps - they only have the legitimacy granted by their master,” Kherkheulidze said, stressing the importance of maintaining opposition unity.
To enhance the quality and scale of the protest, Giga Bokeria, the leader of the Federalists party, emphasizes the importance of the opposition refraining from creating expectations of quick results.
“The protest must reach a critical point beyond which intimidation, bribery, and propaganda can no longer sustain the regime. We have not yet achieved this, and we must acknowledge it. Denying this reality will do us no good.
Protesting, despite not yielding immediate results, is an investment in the future. We must confront reality and draw the right conclusions. I have often heard suggestions that we should counter Ivanishvili’s regime using the same methods it employed to gain power. However, that is Ivanishvili’s arena, and we cannot defeat him in it. At this stage, they have managed to retain power through lies and poisonous propaganda. It was a mistake not to engage in discussions about the war issue and to remain silent, thereby influencing a significant portion of the population. It would have been more effective to conduct a challenging but necessary counter-campaign,” Bokeria stated.
On November 25, the Georgian Dream party convened the first session of the 11th parliament, during which it recognized the authority of all 150 members and elected a chairman.
According to the constitution, the president must convene the first session of the newly elected parliament. However, Salome Zourabichvili did not do so, as she had appealed the results of the parliamentary elections - and, by extension, the legitimacy of all 150 members - to the Constitutional Court. Some legal experts argue that, pending the court’s decision, the parliament lacks the authority to recognize the deputies or validate the decisions made during the session, rendering them illegal.
