Georgian President slams “unconstitutional convening” of new Parliament as “black Monday”

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has condemned the session of the country’s new parliament, calling it “black Monday” and accusing the ruling Georgian Dream party of violating the constitution.

The session took place amid ongoing protests and constitutional challenges disputing the legitimacy of the October 26 general election results.

“Black Monday in Georgia: Police and ‘special forces’ guard the doors behind which the ‘slaves of the Georgian Dream’ are killing our constitution and mocking our parliament,” Zourabichvili said in a social media post. She shared a video showing police forming a multi-layered cordon to block protesters from reaching the parliament’s side entrance.

The parliament convened despite lawsuits filed by the president and opposition, who argue the election results should be annulled. Protesters gathered outside the building declared the parliament illegitimate and self-proclaimed.

The diplomatic corps was absent from the first session, as they were not invited by the Georgian Dream party. Media access was also restricted, raising further concerns about transparency.

The parliament recognized the authority of all 150 elected members, a move critics claim violated Article 86 of the parliamentary rules, which prohibits transferring mandates to MPs whose election is under constitutional appeal. Constitutionalists argue that recognizing the legitimacy of MPs while the results are disputed is unlawful.

Georgian Dream dismissed the allegations, labeling the president’s lawsuit as “stupid” and asserting that nothing legally prevents the parliament from recognizing its members. The party maintains that the session and the approval of mandates were conducted in full compliance with the law.