Burjanadze says snap parliamentary elections only way out of crisis

What is happening today in Georgia is a result of a real political crisis in the country. The only way out of the current situation is snap parliamentary elections, said Nino Burjanadze, the leader of the United Democratic Movement, after Cabinet ministers resigned and there was need for a new government staff.

“Neither Garibashvili (prime minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili), nor even Ivanishvili (ex-PM of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili) have control over the situation and bear real information. The only way out of the situation is snap parliamentary elections and real leadership changes,” Burjanadze told Rustavi-2 TV.

She believes the incumbent government of Georgia is extremely feeble. If the country makes only technical changes, it will found itself in a disastrous situation. Among others, she said, there is confrontation between the power branches and inside the ruling coalition.

According to “Novosti-Gruzia,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the ruling coalition Georgian Dream, left the political field yet in 2013, but, as most of the opposition parties claim, he continues to govern the country from behind the scenes. Ivanishvili says he has no levers of power, but the leadership of Georgia listens to his opinion.  

As EADaily reported earlier, Georgia’s Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Levan Kipiani announced his decision to step down as minister on April 29. Kipiani became the third minister to step down over the last few days. Since July 2014 - when the Georgian Government led by Garibashvili enlisted the support of the parliament - Kipiani’s resignation has become the seventh change in the government staff in Georgia. In this light, an issue of confidence to the government has aroused in conformity with the Georgian legislation.

The ruling coalition Georgian Dream holds 87 out of 150 seats in the parliament. The new cabinet and the prime minister will need 75 votes to be approved. After the leader of the parliament majority announced that Georgian Dream supports the incumbent prime minister, after President of Georgia Georgi Margvelashvili  formally introduced the candidate for the post of the prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili is to select the candidates for the posts of ministers within 7 days and introduce them to the parliament along with the government program.  He said changes will be made at two ministries where the posts of the ministers are vacant.