Ivanishvili Claims, not to Run in Elections If Saakashvili Signs Amendment

• Thursday, May 24, 15:46

Tbilisi.. Bidzina Ivanishvili, a leader of the Georgian Dream political coalition, claimed on May 22, he would not run in October 2012 parliamentary elections, if Saakashvili signed the constitutional amendment.

The amendment allows any citizen of the EU member state, who lived in the country for the past five years, vote and be voted.

"Till present, I hoped and publicly stated that it was a senseless decision and it would not be eventually passed. However, the obedient parliamentary majority has not violated a tradition this year as well," Ivanishvili's open letter, published on his personal Facebook page, reads.  

                In Ivanishvili's words, instead of making legal decision and confer him the Georgian citizenship, President Saakashvili has made a grave mistake.

                "It is clear that you are forced to take into consideration unanimous demand of Georgian population's absolute majority and of the international democratic community to allow me run in the elections. But you have failed to correct your mistake (revocation of Georgian citizenship) through a civilized, legal and dignified way (granting  citizenship through naturalization procedure) and now you are making even worse mistake," Ivanishvili said.

                "This constitutional amendment is an action against fundamental principles of statehood and constitutionalism, unprecedented in the world. Moreover, with its legal substance and political context, it amounts to coup d'etat. The constitution is really being amended for and because of a single person and this single person is you, not me," Ivanishvili stressed.

As Ivanishvili pointed out, under the constitutional amendment, an individual who enjoys both, the citizenship of Georgia and that of one of the EU member states, cannot become the prime-minister of Georgia. However, if an individual revokes Georgian citizenship, he/she can occupy the premier's post.

According to Ivanishvili, regardless the fact that he was 'illegally' deprived of his Georgian citizenship, 'illegally' turned down his application for citizenship through naturalization and now was not able to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights due to 'delayed' consideration of his cases, he is not going to take advantage of the introduced amendments.

                ""I am not going to gain my political rights at the expense of insulting the constitution and collapse of the state. My team and I need the political rights for building the state and constitutional order and not vice- versa," Ivanishvili said.

                In this regard, Ivanishvili pointed out that he was ready to give Saakashvili a chance to correct his mistakes and apply to him for citizenship.

                "Therefore, I call on you not to sign the constitutional amendments into law. By doing so you will save the prestige of our country and its constitutional foundation, which is of higher value than present or future of your, my or any other political force. At the same time, I am not likely to compete with you in obstinacy and I am ready to give you one more chance to correct mistakes - I will appeal to you for dual citizenship in a form, that will be spelled out by your political team members and public officials," Ivanishvili added.

Otherwise, according to Ivanishvili, he is not going to run in parliamentary elections.

                "If you do not take into account my advice and do not give up on the constitutional amendment, I will not become part of the anti-state actions; will not make use of these constitutional amendments and will not run in the parliamentary elections," Ivanishvili pointed out.

According to Ivanishvili, he will continue his political activity.

"I will continue active public and political activity within the constitutional framework. I would rather act at the brink of the law than enter the anti-state and anti-constitutional area together with your. I will apply to any possible way within the constitutional framework, so that the Georgian Dream political coalition wins the elections ," Ivanishvili stressed.