The Constitutional Court of Georgia in Batumi is hearing a lawsuit filed by the ruling Georgian Dream party seeking to ban five opposition parties. The case is being heard by the Constitutional Court’s seven-member plenum. Hearings on the merits will take place on October 21, 22, and 23.
The lawsuit was signed by 88 Members of Parliament. Based on their petition, the court’s docket now includes the question of declaring the United National Movement, the Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia – Lelo, the Federalists, and the Gakharia for Georgia party unconstitutional.
According to the authors of the lawsuit, since 2016 these political groups have systematically denied both the domestic and foreign political legitimacy of Georgia’s sitting authorities and the ruling party, thereby acknowledging that one of the sides must inevitably be declared unconstitutional. The lawsuit further asserts that the objective of these parties is to overthrow and violently alter Georgia’s constitutional order, infringe upon the country’s independence, and violate its territorial integrity. Consequently, the suit argues, these parties must be declared unconstitutional and their political activities banned.
On the opening day of the hearings, the opposition filed a motion seeking the recusal of the judges. However, the plenum of the Constitutional Court rejected the petition. The recusal of all seven members of the plenum was demanded by Ani Tsitlidze, a leader of the United National Movement, who stated that the court in its current composition “is neither free nor fair and does not act in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia.”
“The backgrounds of the Constitutional Court judges presiding here are essential for citizens to see how freely, fairly, and genuinely in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia they are capable of making a momentous decision—one that is aimed not merely at banning political parties, but is a decision orchestrated by the Kremlin against the sovereignty and freedom of Georgia,” Tsitlidze stressed.
She referred to the judges as members of a “clan,” prompting the presiding judge, Revaz Nadaraia, to issue her a formal warning.
The Strong Georgia – Lelo coalition demanded the recusal of only three judges. Party representative Kakhi Samkharadze stated that one of the judges, Vasil Roinishvili, served as a supervising prosecutor in the high-profile case of Sergeant Roin Shavadze:
“We are also filing a motion for the recusal of two recently appointed members—Gogi Kikilashvili and Sergo Metopishvili. Just three days after the constitutional lawsuit was lodged on September 24, these two new judges were appointed to their positions. By securing the appointments of these two judges—who were under their full control and influence—the political group that filed the suit guaranteed itself decisive leverage to secure the court’s desired verdict.”
The Coalition for Change supported the demand to recuse the judges, whereas the Gakharia for Georgia party did not publicly state its position.