Former member of Alliance of Patriots opposition elected vice parliament speaker
Avtandil Enukidze is one of the three former members of Alliance of Patriots who replaced the party MPs in parliament because the MPs requested the suspension of their MP status. Photo: RFE/RL.
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Former member and a contributor of pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots opposition party Avtandil Enukidze was elected vice-parliament speaker earlier today.
- Four members of pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots opposition leave party, enter parliament
- Two more opposition MPs enter parliament
Georgian parliament chairperson must have five deputies per the law, three from the majority and two from the minority.
Enukidze is one of the six opposition MPs who have entered parliament so far, while the remaining 54 opposition MPs have refused to take up their mandates and are demanding repeat elections.
Six of 60 opposition MPs have presented the today's opening of spring session in the Georgian parliament. Photo: parliament of Georgia press office.
Fifty-one of the 54 opposition MPs have requested the suspension of their MP status. However, parliament rejected their request earlier today.
Enukidze and three other former members of Alliance of Patriots have created European Socialists party and nominated Enukidze for vice-speaker after they quit Alliance of Patriots and entered the state legislature last month.
One seat for opposition vice parliament speaker still remains vacant.
The Georgian parliament has not suspended the MP status of 51 opposition MPs earlier today per their request. None of the ruling party MPs, who are 90 in the 150-member parliament, voted for the cancellation of MP status. Member of the United National Movement opposition party Roman Gotsiridze has stated that the ruling party ‘is afraid of the reactions of international partners’ and that is why they refused to vote for the suspension of status for opposition MPs.
Three MPs from the Girchi libertarian party have asked the ruling Georgian Dream party not to vote for the suspension of MP status for 51 opposition MPs tomorrow per their request.
Four members of the pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots opposition party, who were on the party’s election list for the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections, have left the party earlier today and entered the parliament amid the opposition’s boycott.
The fifth round of election talks mediated by foreign ambassadors between the ruling Georgian Dream party and eight opposition parties and blocs has been postponed.