Ruling Party Nominates Ex-Deputy Speaker as Constitutional Court Judge
TBILISI – Ruling party Georgian Dream (GD) officially nominated Manana Kobakhidze, former deputy Parliament Speaker and majority member, on the position of the Constitutional Court judge yesterday.
Kobakhidze needs support from at least 75 MPs in the150-seat legislative body in order to be approved for the position. If approved, she will hold the position for 10 years.
The former speaker has expressed confidence that she will get enough votes from the MPs to become a constitutional court judge, while the opposition criticizes the ruling party for nominating her and says the government aims to influence the court by appointing their own member.
Kobakhidze said she was chosen by GD because she is a lawyer and a professional and not because of her GD membership.
“I came to politics because the rights of the court were being violated. I think nothing is more honorable than becoming a protector of the constitution,” she said.
Kobakhidze believes the judge is responsible only before the constitution and law and not before any political force.
The main opposition party, the United National Movement, fears that Kobakhidze will carry out the government’s interests in the court, and have said that they will not support her candidacy.
Another opposition party, the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia (APG), says Kobakhidze is a professional and that she suits the position.
Majority member Gia Volsky says Kobakhidze’s nomination was the most optimal decision for the GD.
“Kobakhidze has always been and will be in the service of justice and the law,” he said.
The NGO Transparency International (TI) Georgia released a statement today calling on MPs not to support Kobakhidze’s candidacy.
The NGO says Kobakhidze’s election will stain the court’s reputation.
“Kobakhidze’s appointment to the constitutional court will raise doubts about the court decisions and will harm the image of the court,” Giorgi Beraia, lawyer of TI said.
The position in the constitutional court became vacant in September 2016, when Judge Ketevan Eremadze’s 10-year term expired.
The constitutional court consists of nine judges. The president, parliament and the supreme court each appoint three members of the Court for a 10-year term.
by Thea Morrison