PM Bidzina Ivanishvili said that he would not insist on President Saakashvili’s impeachment, but his Georgian Dream parliamentary majority might introduce constitutional changes that would significantly cut presidential powers.
Georgia’s new constitution, which was passed in 2010 and which will significantly increase PM’s powers at the expense of those of the President, will go into force after the presidential elections, set for October, 2013.
Speaking at a lengthy press conference on November 22, PM Ivanishvili said that after the parliamentary elections and its outcome “it will be logical” if the new provisions of the constitution go into effect “earlier” than scheduled.
MPs are former members of President Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) party and UNM has 59 seats. At least 100 votes are needed to pass constitutional changes.
“From my point of view votes will be even more than required for these amendments to be [approved],” PM Ivanishvili told journalists without going into details.