Winners and losers: ready to collaborate?
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, October 4
"There are levers throughout the constitution for us to create unrest in the country. However, we respect the choice of the Georgian people and recognize our loss in the parliamentary elections," said the current parliament chair of Georgia, Davit Bakradze on September 3 during a press conference at the UNM office. Bakradze has also criticized the coalition’s leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili and appealed to him to take more constructive steps.
Bakradze, whose tone seemed oppositional already, underscored that through the constitution, the current president is eligible to name Vano Merabishvili (acting Prime Minister) as the Prime Minister and represent the new government. Bakradze also emphasized that the new parliament would not have confirmed Merabishvili’s candidacy on the post and the situation would have caused confrontation and snap elections in the country after six-months.
“I can say that our action is exemplary when the defeated party recognizes its loss and encourages democratic path of the country,” Bakradze said.
Bakradze also gave a “warning” statement that the country would face problems in all directions, regarding both inner and foreign fields.
However, despite the warnings, the United National Movement has recognized the loss and they are ready to collaborate with the future parliamentary majority.
According to the majority representatives, the president and the UNM have already proved that they are ready for such collaboration.
“Although under the existing constitution it’s up to the President to decide whom he would nominate as the new Prime Minister, after the Georgian Dream’s election victory with a large margin, the President will nominate a candidate offered by the Ivanishvili led coalition,” Giga Bokeria, Secretary of National Security Council stated.
On its behalf, the Georgian Dream also expressed its readiness for collaboration with the United National Movement.
The Georgian Dream has already created a working group for consultations with the current President and acting government. The group consists of Irakli Alasania, Davit Usupashvili and Irakli Gharibashvili.
The coalition leader underscored that that he has already got an initial project regarding who might be in the new government. However, the list might be seriously modified according to Ivanishvili.
“No one from the coalition but me knows concerning my project. I will announce it to my team and we will discuss it.” Ivanishvili stated.
The coalition leader has reiterated that the coalition still acts based on the state's interests and keeping stability and peace in the country.
According to constitutional analyst, Avtandil Demetrashvili, after the consultations with the parliamentary factions, the president selects the candidacy of a Prime Minister. In case of confirmation of the candidacy from the Parliament’s side, the Prime Minister forms a government and presents it to the parliament for conformation. In the case that the candidacy for the Prime Minister’s post is not confirmed by the Parliament, the President is eligible to present the candidate to the Parliament for a second and third time. If the candidacy is denied anyway the President can appoint the Prime Minister and the cabinet of ministers.
“The President can also dismiss the parliament. However, only after 6 months from the parliamentary elections and six months before expiration of his presidential term can this be done,” Demetrashvili said.
