The Prime Minister meets with Supreme Court chair
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, March 7
The Prime Minister of Georgia and the chair of Supreme Court, Kote Kublashvili, met on March 6. According to the PM, they managed to achieve agreement on major issues. The PM underscored that despite the shortcomings in the court system, Kublashvili’s merit in Georgian judiciary is obvious.
The meeting was initiated by the prime minister. He made a statement concerning the issue a couple of days ago. Ivanishvili underscored that the meeting with the head of the Supreme Court should have been discussed in the frame of a “normal political process”. He also underscored that the system requires reforms. However, according to the PM, the reform will not be carried out as swiftly as those of the Interior Affair’s and the Prosecutor’s Office.
“We were introduced and spoke on the impartiality of the court… I promised him that there will be no pressure on the court from the new government’s side and stressed that in case I hear facts of interference, I will immediately get involved,” Ivanishvili stated, adding that Kublashvili also supports reforming the court system.
“The reform was initiated by a new team of the Ministry of Justice and Kublashvili supports 80% of it and has some objective questions. We spoke on how we can go ahead and advance and there was not a single word on his impeachment,” Ivanishvili stated.
Kublashvili stated that any meeting that will be profitable for the court's impartiality is welcomed by him.
“We spoke on all those directions that will encourage the court's impartiality and strengthening, Kublashvili said, adding that the new government is taking steps that should be made by each normal government.
“Decisions made by the court should be objectively assessed by both the government and the opposition for the court to be free from any kind of involvement,” Kublashvili stated
Head of the Parliament's Human Rights Committee, Eka Beselia, stated that the chief prosecutor’s office is carrying out an investigation over how the judges had been appointed on the positions.
“If it reveals that non-qualified judges were illegally appointed to their positions, Kublashvili’s impeachment might be set,” Beselia said.
Political analyst Tornike Sharashenidze believes that the fight against the court is not in the interest of the prime minister. According to him, the PM, who intends to develop the country, will not launch a battle– neither with the chair of the Supreme Court nor with the president.
“Such a battle will affect both his political team and the country's interests. At the same time, the PM has several levers and need not give a stroke to the court system,” Sharashenidze said.
