Page 7 - GEORptFeb21

expect him to return to politics once again.
Irakli Kobakhidze, who currently serves as executive secretary of Georgian Dream, is expected to replace Ivanishvili as party chairman.
Also seemingly bowing out of Georgian politics, at least on a de facto basis, is ex-president Mikhael Saakashvili, who, with his United National Movement (UNM), failed time and time again to knock Ivanishvili off his perch. His role in the general election proved divisive among some of the opposition. Saakashvili’s credibility and support among voters has also faded although the UNM remains the leading opposition party in Georgia.
2.2​ ​Georgia’s parliament to terminate mandates of opposition MPs
An extraordinary session of Georgia’s parliament is scheduled for January 27-28 during which the main issue will be the termination of the mandates of the opposition MPs who have submitted their resignation. The status of these MPs, who have boycotted the legislature since claiming that last autumn’s elections were rigged by the ruling party Georgian Dream, which won two thirds of the seats, has so far remained in limbo, while negotiations between Georgian Dream and the opposition parties continued.
Separately, Georgian Dream wants to amend the regulations such as one that allows individual MPs of opposition parties to taken positions within parliament’s leading bodies—a move seen as encouraging some opposition party MPs to leave their parties and enter parliament on their own steam—a step already taken by three members of the Alliance of Patriots.
Irakli Kadagishvili, chairman of the parliamentary committee, has stated that the issue of thw termination of the mandates of all deputies who have filed relevant applications will be raised in an extraordinary sitting.
"The deadlines are expiring. We will discuss the issue at the extraordinary session," he announced.
Earlier, parliament terminated the mandates of the Alliance of Patriots members Irma Inashvili, Giorgi Lomia, and Gocha Tevdoradze. However, the party’s electoral list members Pridon Injia, Gela Mikadze, and Davit Zilpimiani decided to take up the seats.
The International Election Observation Mission (IEC) has assessed that the election was free ad competitive and that, in general, fundamental freedoms were provided, Romanian MP Titus Corlatean told the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the occasion of the October 31 parliamentary election in Georgia.
Corlatean also called on the Georgian government to investigate election fraud and on the opposition parties to enter parliament.
7​ GEORGIA Country Report​ February 2021 ​ ​www.intellinews.com