PM Kobakhidze: Government will ‘fully defend’ national interests at Constitutional court

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday said that the Georgian government would fully defend the country’s national interests before the Constitutional Court in a lawsuit against opposition parties, describing the move as essential for strengthening the country’s democratic system.

Speaking to Georgian journalists during his visit to China, Kobakhidze said that the decision to initiate the legal process held “national significance,” as, according to him, certain political forces were attempting to undermine Georgia’s constitutional order.

He accused what he called “anti-democratic and unconstitutional forces” of persistently trying to overthrow or violently alter the constitutional structure, and of refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the government elected by the Georgian people.

“In such circumstances, the democratic system must protect itself, and the mechanism for that is established by Georgia’s Constitution,” Kobakhidze said. He added that the government intended to fully utilize the legal tools provided by the Constitution to respond to the alleged threats.

Kobakhidze stressed that the step taken was “necessary” to ensure the long-term stability of Georgia’s political environment.

“This is a necessary condition for establishing a healthy democratic system in Georgia once and for all. Had it not been essential for improving our democratic system, we would not have taken this step,” he noted.