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Gakharia Resigns, International Partners React to Ongoing Events

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“Impartial, Informative, Insightful” GEL 3.00 #034 (4838) FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 WWW.MESSENGER.COM.GE POLITICS Gakharia resigns, international partners GD nominates Defense react to ongoing events Minister Gharibashvili as PM candidate for second term FORMER PM RESIGNED OVER THE ISSUE OF MELIA’S SENTENCING. FULL STORY ON Page 2 POLITICS EU, US Embassy call to avoid escalation FULL STORY ON Page 3 Giorgi Gakharia has resigned as the Prime Minister of the country BY NIKA GAMTSEMLIDZE National Movement would be a danger- On Sunday, the Tbilisi City Court noted that he appreciated the decision ous political move and it would end up made a decision to arrest Melia for the of the former Prime Minister and said iorgi Gakharia announced his deci- escalating the already unstable and violation of the conditions of the bail. that there is an urgent need for the gov- G sion to resign as Georgian Prime polarized political situation. This has led to mass protests in the ernment to start thinking about snap Minister yesterday. Gakaria cited dif- The Former Prime Minister of the country, and the international partners elections. ferences of opinion within the Georgian country has also criticized Nika Melia for of Georgia reacted harshly. Melia noted that Gakharia’s decision Dream team over Nika Melia’s arrest not disregarding the law and once again The opposition of the country is de- essentially means that he is admitting warrant. As the former PM said, the said that he is responsible for encourag- manding snap elections and welcomes that the government of the country is arrest of the chairman of the United ing protests on June 20, 2019. the PM’s decision to resign. Melia himself ready for ‘bloodshed and violence’. Ac- cording to Melia and many other repre- sentatives of the opposition, the only way to overcome the crisis in the country is to hold snap elections. The members of the Georgian Dream have reacted to Gakharia’s decision. The Chairman of the party Irakli Kobakhidze said that the arguments of the former PM were simply not good enough and called on Melia to obey the law and said that he would still be detained. The international partners of the country have already reacted to the ongoing events, calling Gakharia’s decision to resign ‘the right move’. The British agency has also commented on the ongoing events saying that the crisis is not in the best interest of any party and that the people of the country ‘deserve better’. The Parliament has to choose a new Prime Minister and cabinet in two weeks, if they fail to do so, in four weeks, the President will be able to break up the Melia noted that Gakharia’s decision means that he is admitting that the government of the country is ready for ‘bloodshed and violence’. parliament and call for snap elections. P2 | POLITICS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 GD nominates Defense Minister Gharibashvili as PM candidate for second term Irakli Garibashvili served as the Georgian PM between November 2013 and December 2015. BY NATALIA KOCHIASHVILI In his resignation address party Bidzina Ivanishvili’s in- frames of the constitution,” he tions.As the ex-PM explained, in 2015 Garibashvili said that volvement in it. He noted that said. he considers it unjust to arrest he Georgian Dream ruling ‘posts are temporary. The only Gharibashvili has a guaranteed Garibashvili joined politics in the UNM’s chairman as it poses T party has nominated former thing permanent is God and the support in the Parliament of late 2011 and served as the In- a risk of political escalation. PM, current Defense Minister homeland. So I have decided to Georgia. Mdinaradze recalled terior Minister for a year before Gakharia that he could not Irakli Garibashvili, 39, as prime leave my post.’ Garibashvili re- that Gharibashvili’s name is as- becoming the PM in November reach an agreement with the ministerial candidate earlier turned to politics in March 2019 sociated with many successful 2013 when Ivanishvili stepped team on Melia’s case. “I have yesterday, following the resig- as the political secretary of the projects, including association down. In December 2015, Gari- announced my resignation in the nation of Giorgi Gakharia over ruling GD party. In September agreement and emphasized the bashvili resigned and left the hope to reduce polarization and UNM chair Nika Melia’s coming 2019, he was appointed as the success of activities carried out party. Before commencing a to deescalate the situation,” he sentencing on 18th of February. country’s defence minister. by the Ministry of Defense in political career, the PM-nominee tweeted after the press briefing. Gharibashvili served as a MP Kobakhidze hailed Min- terms of Nato cooperation. The worked in Bidzina Ivanishvili’s In response, the MIA temporar- prime minister between Novem- ister Garibashvili as a ‘profes- MP believes that Gharibashvili companies for 8 years in the ily postponed the planned deten- ber 2013 and December 2015. He sional with a distinguished will play an important role when business sector. He majored tion of Melia. was the second PM under the experience, who can successfully Georgia announces its desire to in International Relations at The PM’s resignation means Georgian Dream leadership, re- lead the government and tackle join the EU in 2024. Tbilisi State University before that his cabinet is also sus- placing the founder of the party challenges facing our country,’ Garibashvili himself named studying Political Sciences at pended and the parliament will Bidzina Ivanishvili. adding that GD’s Political Coun- the COVID-19 pandemic and Sorbonne University in France. have to approve the new PM cil unanimously decided to put unemployment as the two most Back in 2015, analysts linked and cabinet within the coming his candidacy forward. pressing issues for the new Garibashvili’s resignation to two weeks. If parliament fails FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 GD leader Mamuka Mdina- government to address. “we will sinking confidence ratings of the to do so, the president will dis- radze does not see a connection soon restore order and balance, government, as well as the need miss the parliament and snap Day More clouds between Gharibashvili’s ap- that is important for the country to refresh the cabinet ahead of parliamentary elections will be pointing as PM and the ruling to function normally within the the 2016 Parliamentary elec- scheduled. High: 4°C Night Cloudy Low: -2°C SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20 Nino Metreveli Commercial Director Day Cloudy skies Mariam Mchedlidze Editor-in-Chief High: 3°C Natalia Kochiashvili Night Cloudy Executive Editor Nino Kavelashvili Low: -1°C Design and Layout FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 POLITICS | P3 EXCHANGE RATES: US DOLLAR _ 3.3044 | EURO _ 3.9871 | GBP _ 4.5832 | 100 RUSSIAN RUBLE _ 4.4741 | SWISS FRANC _ 3.6925 | EU, US Embassy call to avoid escalation “The US Embassy appreciates the restraint shown by the authorities and the opposition in the wake of the developments “Political deadlock can only be resolved in dialogue.” Peter Stano wrote on involving Nika Melia.” Twitter. BY NATALIA KOCHIASHVILI interest of the country and of all said Peter Stano, Lead Spokes- serious challenges,” stated the “The United States stands Georgian citizens. person for Foreign Affairs and U.S. Embassy, adding that “it is ready to assist Georgia in finding he European Union urged “Political courage and genu- Security Policy in the February in the best interests of the people a solution to the current crisis T both the Georgian Govern- ine democratic leadership are 18 statement. of Georgia that this political and to return focus to creat- ment and the opposition “to required to reach cross-party The EU’s statement under- crisis be resolved quickly and ing jobs, reducing poverty, and act with utmost restraint and agreement and to avoid deepen- scored that the organization peacefully.” rebuilding the economy,” the ing polarisation. Broad political stands ready to continue sup- The Embassy stated they ap- responsibility to avoid further Embassy emphasized. unity is needed to defuse ten- porting Georgia in this endeav- preciate the restraint shown by escalation” in the wake of Prime The UK Embassy urged all Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s res- sions and further consolidate our. the authorities and the opposi- involved to act responsibly, dif- ignation over United National democracy in Georgia, including The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi tion in responding to the events fuse tension and allow Georgia’s Movement Chair Nika Melia’s through ambitious and inclusive also shared the statement last surrounding the case of Melia. pre-trial detention ruling. judicial and electoral reforms. evening saying that “it is im- The statement highlighted that continued progress towards The EU strongly believes Political stability and an inclu- perative that all those involved the US remains ready to help to Euro-Atlantic integration. “A that the political deadlock can sive parliamentary process are commit to de-escalating the facilitate constructive dialogue protracted crisis is in no-one’s only be resolved through sincere also pre-requisites for effectively current tensions so that a way in support of maintaining peace, interest. The people of Georgia political dialogue. They called for addressing the coronavirus pan- forward can be agreed upon.” stability, and the democratic deserve better,” the UK embassy immediate de-escalation in the demic and its consequences,” “Georgia is facing extremely process in Georgia. concluded. Special Commission of Georgian Parliament to investigate possible election violations BY VERONIKA MALINBOYM international observers cited in their reports, and to find out the n February 17, the Geor- truth together. O gian Parliament an- A large number of opposi- nounced the creation of a tem- tion parties believe that the porary commission that will parliamentary elections of last investigate the conduct of the year were rigged, and, to this October 2020 Parliamentary day, boycott their mandates and Elections and assess whether demand the repeat elections to any of the alleged violations be held.
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