Opposition member becomes Deputy Defense and Security Committee Chair
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, December 28
A member of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, Irakli Abesadze, was elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee on Monday. His candidacy was supported by 12 lawmakers, among them 8 members of the ruling party, the Georgian Dream (GD).
Chair of the Committee Irakli Sesiashvili said that the Georgian Dream did not support the United National Movement’s candidate, but democratic principles, as the minority has its quota in Parliament.
Sesiashvili’s statement was followed by a negative reaction from the second opposition party, the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia (APG), whose members protested Abesadze’s election as Deputy Chair.
The APG said that the GD and UNM had made a deal.
Member of the Alliance of Patriots Emzar Kvitsiani stressed that there was no difference between the two parties.
Moreover, Kvitsiani said that that APG member Giorgi Lomia would quit his position of Deputy Chair of Diaspora Committee, if the position of Deputy Defense and Security Committee Chair would be given to an APG member.
However, Kvitsiani was explained that quotas of the Diaspora committee had nothing to do with the Deputy Defense and Security Committee.
As for Sesiashvili, he approved the decision of the Committee to support his candidacy. He believes that the ruling team made a choice in terms of experience and professionalism and supported him.
Sesiashvili says a lot of work needs to be done in the defense and security areas, in order to ensure the country's defense capabilities.
“There are serious problems in the Army, as the soldiers' salaries decreased by 48 million Lari, while the fund of State Security Service bonuses was increased by 7 million GEL,” Abesadze stated.
