Georgia’s ruling party asks Constitutional Court to begin impeachment proceedings against president

TBILISI, Georgia

Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has filed a petition with the Constitutional Court to launch impeachment proceedings against President Salome Zourabichvili for allegedly violating the country’s constitution through her unauthorized visits to the European Union this month.

Eighty members of parliament from the party, including Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Georgian Dream chairman Irakli Kobakhidze, signed the petition submitted to the Constitutional Court with the proposal to impeach Zourabichvili.

"The case has been transferred to the plenary session of the Constitutional Court. They will assess the matter and present the results to the parliament within one month," said the court.

The ruling party recently announced the initiation of impeachment proceedings against Zurabishvili when she embarked on a foreign tour on Aug. 31 without obtaining government approval.

Kobakhidze said at a press briefing in Tbilisi that Zourabichvili "grossly violated the constitution" when she set off on a trip to Europe despite the government's refusal.

Zourabichvili met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. She was also scheduled to meet with European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels.

The Georgian government said it had previously denied Zourabichvili in writing her planned trips to various countries from August to December.

The president said her trip is aimed at strengthening Georgia’s position on the issue of becoming an EU candidate country.

Kobakhidze argued that Zourabichvili is trying to earn political points, knowing that Georgia has a high chance of obtaining candidate status.