Georgia's Constitutional Court has determined that President Salome Zurabishvili violated the nation's constitution by embarking on overseas trips without the government's authorization. This pivotal verdict opens the door for Parliament to initiate impeachment proceedings against the country's top official.
Salome Zurabishvili assumed the presidency in Georgia in December 2018. While she was officially an independent candidate, her candidacy received backing from the "Georgian Dream" party.
In the court's proceedings, a panel of nine judges deliberated, with six of them ultimately supporting the decision. They concluded that President Zurabishvili's visits to several European countries in August and September ran afoul of the 52nd article of Georgia's Constitution. This article specifies that the president can only exercise diplomatic duties in foreign affairs with the government's consent.
The next step entails the formal approval of the Constitutional Court's judgment by Parliament. The removal of the president from her post would necessitate the backing of at least 100 parliamentary members. The ruling party, known as the "Georgian Dream," spearheading the impeachment effort, presently holds 84 seats in the Parliament. This means that they would require support from opposition parties to reach the threshold.
According to BBC, most opposition members stand in opposition to impeaching the president, branding the initiation of such a procedure as "an act undermining Georgia's path towards European integration by the 'Georgian Dream.'
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