Ruling Party MPs Continue Counter-Accusations

By Tea Mariamidze

Tuesday, April 17

Sophio Kiladze says Gedevan Popkhadze often misses sessions.

GD Majority leader Talakvadze says the internal disagreement has nothing to do with country issues.

Ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MP Sophio Kiladze has called her teammate Gedevan Popkhadze a “slenderer”, saying he is lying while accusing her of using his facsimile.

Kiladze explains that she was in China and could not have falsified any documents.

She added that Popkhadze often misses the sessions and does not fulfill his obligations properly.

“Instead of gossiping he’d better do his job, for which he is paid,” Kiladze stressed.

Two days ago, Popkhadze stated in his interview with Imedi TV that he had a disagreement with Kiladze because she was using his facsimile without his permission when he was abroad.

Popkhadze stated he was leaving the party on April 4, 2018, when several majority MPs supported the candidate of the minority, Ninia Kakabadze, on the post of the Georgian Public Broadcaster board of trustees.

He slammed his teammates for supporting a candidate, famous for her anti-church statements, which was followed by some harsh comments from the Parliament Speaker, Irakli Kobakhidze, who accused Popkhadze of “betraying” the party.

After this, some GD parliamentarians took the side of Popkhadze and criticized Kobakhidze, while the Speaker also gained some supporters, who stated certain MPs had made “grave mistakes.”

The majority leader Archil Talakvadze said the recent developments within the party serve as a “stress-test” for the parliamentary majority, which strengthen the Georgian Dream.

Talakvadze said that internal consultations were held regarding the public statements made by some lawmakers, adding the process will continue and the parliamentary majority will assemble in the nearest future to discuss the issue.

"We have a common consolidated position on all important issues. As for the public statements that have been made by several members of the majority in the last two weeks, these issues are not really important for the public and we will overcome them through the party consultations in the near future,” Talakvadze added.