Court Chair Calls on Governmental Officials Not to Interfere in Judicial Activities
Constitutional Court Chair Giorgi Papuashvili released a special statement on August 27 calling on governmental officials to refrain from interference in judicial activities.
Papuashvili made the statement in response to accusations from the members of the ruling team Georgian Dream (GD), who said that Constitutional Court Chair has a deal with the opposition party United National Movement (UNM) and is trying to cause a stir before the October parliamentary elections. The ruling team also accuses Papuashvili of exerting pressure on other members of the nine-seat court.
In his statement, Papuashvili says that in the Constitutional Court's 20-year history this is the most unprecedented case of pressure on judges from the government and ruling team representatives.
“Political leaders allow themselves to roughly interfere in the Constitutional Court's activities and are engaged in an orchestrated campaign in order to discredit the Court,” the statement reads.
According to Papuashvili, governmental officials deliberately intimidate and discredit those judges who speak openly about pressure on the Court.
“Once again, we call on the authorities to refrain from interference in judicial activities,” he said.
GD members reject the allegations, saying Papuashvili and the first chamber of judges are acting in favor of the UNM.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, member of the GD political Council, suspects that Papuashvili is carrying out a planned PR campaign against judges he cannot influence.
“There is suspicion that the Chair of the Constitutional Court is trying to create a political climate in the pre-election period,” Mdinaradze said.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili claimed Papuashvili’s statement was unrealistic.
“I personally met Papuashvili and he had an opportunity to prove his statements to the Prosecutor’s Office. I have no right to make any political comments but it all seems like an unrealistic story,” Kvirikashvili said.
Former ruling team, the UNM, believes that the Court is under governmental pressure, saying the government is trying to influence the Court in order to make them rule in favor of government before the parliamentary elections.
“It is pity that the government is trying to influence the Court. This process has to be stopped,” UNM member Gigi Tsereteli stated.
The scandal around the Constitutional Court began on July 21 when Papuashvili stated that certain judges are under pressure in order to make them rule in favor of government. He did not specify the names and the details of the cases however, he mentioned they are high-profile ones currently in progress.
The Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation concerning Papuashvili’s statements and questioned all nine judges.
In early August, the Prosecutor’s Office released the mid-term results of the case saying all questioned Constitutional Court Judges deny they are pressured. The final results of the investigation have yet to be published.
Thea Morrison