Parliament suspends status for three opposition MPs

The Georgian parliament has suspended an MP status for three opposition members – Badri Japaridze from Lelo, Elene Khoshtaria from Droa and Shalva Natelashvili from the Labour Party. 

 

The reason for the decision in case of Japaridze was his recent conviction for fraud, while Khoshtaria and Natelashvili were dismissed for not attending parliamentary sessions. 

 

Japaridze, whose candidacy was nominated for majoritarian candidate from Lelo in Rustavi  midterm elections after the parliament’s move, says that he will appeal the decision to the constitutional court. 

 

He says that both his conviction in the case dating back to 2008 and current suspension of his status are ‘politically grounded.’ 

 

Khoshtaria and Natelashvili have not attended any sessions since the October 2020 elections ‘in protest of rigged votes.’ 

 

However, Natelashvili has announced his plans later to take up his mandate. 

 

The United National Movement opposition party has demanded the restoration of party lists, which were abolished after the 2020 elections per the demand of opposition parties, to fill the vacant seats in the state legislature. 

 

However, the ruling party responded that ‘legally it is impossible.’