Georgia: President refuses to resign despite Court decision

TBILISI, Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili said she would not resign after the Constitutional Court ruled she had violated the country’s constitution by making foreign visits without government approval.

‘I’m not going anywhere. I will not resign. I will stay where I am, where I am throughout my life and what I came [from France] for, I stayed here and I fight for the European future of our country and of democracy’ , declared Ms. Zourabichvili during her televised speech.

Speaking about the Constitutional Court’s decision, Ms. Zourabichvili said she was saddened and believes that the judges should be ashamed of having issued such a verdict. The head of state also indicated that she intended to attend the session of parliament during which the impeachment will be voted on.

The President of the Constitutional Court, Merab Tourava, previously announced the decision that Salome Zourabichvili violated the Constitution during her working visits abroad without the consent of the government. The Consti
tutional Court upheld the proposal to impeach the president for violating the Constitution. According to the existing procedure, the decision of the Constitutional Court is submitted to parliament where deputies must vote on the issue. Parliament Speaker Chalva Papouashvili announced earlier that the vote is expected to take place before the end of this week.

Source: Burkina Information Agency