Ruling Party Founder Ivanishvili Criticizes MPs Who Quit GD

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Founder and Chairman of the ruling party Georgian Dream (GD), says it is not clear for him why MP Eka Beselia and a few other members of the ruling party quit. Ivanishvili criticized them and said “they were trying to break through the open door.”

“When a politician does not have good grounds and real reasons to leave the party, it will be very hard for this person to have a good perspective in the future,” he told Imedi TV, adding he does not mind the MPs left the majority.

Ivanishvili noted that there are still a lot of emotions in the ruling party.

"The processes I've been running for these last months have been based on very great emotions. The whole parliamentary team felt confused. I had many meetings and put much effort to solve this problem and I think we got the result,” he added.

The Chair of the GD added that the ex-members that left the party should be ashamed because “all their proposals and statements were in sharp contradiction with the Constitution.”

Later on April 10, Beselia responded to Ivanishvili’s comments. According to her, the ruling party leader is angry because he could not silence the ex-members.

“Bidzina Ivanishvili wants me to be silent. Sorry, but when it comes to fairness, ideals and future of this country, I will not be silent even for the sake of my son and brother, even though I do not have anyone more precious than them. He is mad today and tells things differently,” the MP said.

Eka Beselia, Levan Gogichaishvili and Gedevan Popkhadze quit the majority in February. Later on, another senior MP, Zviad Kvachantiradze joined them.

In early March, GD was quit by majority MPs Gia Zhorzholiani and Mirian Tsiklauri too.

The main reason why the MPs quit the ruling party was the controversial list of Supreme Court candidate judges, which caused disagreement in the majority.

Since the prominent members of the ruling party quit, GD lost its constitutional majority in the legislative body, as it is left 108 chairs and 113 is necessary to have a constitutional majority in the 150-member parliament.

By Thea Morrison

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