President Will Not Offer Supreme Court Chair Candidate
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has decided not to name a candidate for the post of Supreme Court Chair.
The information was released by Giorgi Abashishvili, Head of the President’s Administration on August 24. He said the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) majority refused to participate in consultations over possible candidates and noted that the process should be oriented on real results, not just procedures.
A meeting between the President and non-governmental organizations held on August 20 also ended without consensus, which means there are now no candidates being considered for the post of the Supreme Court Chair.
The NGOs were asking the President to name candidates, while Margvelashvili was expecting the same step from them.
The President’s decision was criticized by the non-governmental sector, the majority and some opposition parties.
Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) Head, Sulkhan Saladze stated the failure of the President and Georgian Dream to engage in dialogue harmed the entire judicial system.
“The President’s decision complicates the whole process,” he added.
Meanwhile, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria said the President should have used all means to reach a consensus over the issue.
“Margvelashvili should have named a candidate, regardless of the reactions of the ruling party,” she said.
Ruling GD says the President’s decisions are becoming more and more inadequate as his term nears an end.
“He [the President] did not take responsibility for his constitutional right and tries to blame us for his failure. He made no effort towards real consultation on this topic," GD faction Chair, Mamuka Mdinaradze, said.
According to Irakli Abesadze, member of European Georgia, complains that Margvelashvili handed GD the chance to appoint their preferred candidate to the post of Supreme Court Chair.
However, the United National Movement says the President’s step was right and the candidate should be named by the new president to be elected on October 28.
Former Chairperson of the Court, Nino Gvenetadze, resigned in early August. Selected for the post by President Margvelashvili and approved by Parliament in 2015, she said in a special statement that medical treatment required a several-month stay abroad and announced she was resigning due to health issues. She was to have held the post for ten years.
The opposition does not believe that health problems were the real reason for her resignation and have stated their suspicion the former Chair of the court was suppressed by the ruling team.
By Thea Morrison
Photo source: Georgian Journal