Protesters gather outside parliament building in Georgia ahead of first session after elections
In Tbilisi, the opposition and its supporters protesting against the results of the parliamentary elections are outside the parliament building. Police cordons guard the side entrances where deputies from the ruling Georgian Dream party are to enter for the first session.
On the eve of the first session of parliament, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili noted that it is unconstitutional. On November 19, she filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court demanding that the election results be declared unconstitutional. She claims that the principles of universality and secrecy of voting were violated. The Constitutional Court registered the lawsuit, but the date of the session has not yet been set.
On November 26, Salome Zurabishvili will address the European Parliament on behalf of the Georgian people. This information was confirmed live on TV Pirveli by Tamar Kordzaia, a member of the Unity – National Movement coalition.
"The President of Georgia will address the European Parliament and tell them that the current government is simply the government of vote thieves. We will find out the rest later. But one thing is certain: Salome Zurabishvili is on the side of the Georgian people and fully shares the spirit that the assembled society expresses today," the oppositionist said.
It was previously reported that diplomats accredited in Georgia were not invited to the first session of the 11th convocation of the parliament. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili argued this decision by saying that the opening of the session "should only be celebrated by the Georgian people."
"The participation of ambassadors in this process is not important, this is the state's business. This is a holiday for the Georgian people and only the Georgian people should celebrate the first session of their parliament," Papuashvili said.
It was also reported that the main issue on the agenda of the meeting will be the recognition of the powers of the legislative body.
