Ruling GD Lawmaker Popkhadze Says He Will Be Excluded from Party
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, February 7
Ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party parliamentarian, Gedevan Popkhadze, says he might quit the party, adding if he does not take such a step, he will be excluded anyway.
Popkhadze says he will make the final decision after consultations with his friends inside the party. He added that his decision is connected to the recent controversial developments in the judiciary system.
“I have not made the final decision but I would like to speak about the problems in this field in more details, which I cannot do while I am the member of the GD party,” the MP said.
He said “moral choice” has to be made, which is connected to person’s values and principles.
In his interview with Palitra News, Popkhadze said there is the ‘deficit of democracy’ within the GD party.
He commented on the election of GD MP Anri Okhanashvili as the Chairman of the Committee of Legal Issues, adding he suggested the candidacy of another MP, Levan Gogichaishvili.
The post became vacant after MP Eka Beselia stepped down from the post on December 27. While resigning, she nominated Gedevan Popkhadze for the role which was disapproved by majority of GD members and the majority withdrew Popkhadze from the Parliament’s Committee of Legal Issues.
“If the Chair had to be chosen from the GD party, I offered them another candidate too. It would be better if two candidates were presented. Also, this would increase trust towards the process,” he said, adding the GD did not take into account his suggestion.
The MP noted that if there is no democracy within Georgian Dream, there will be its deficit in the country as well.
“Let us define what is more important: party discipline or being honest with the people?” he stressed.
