Georgia’s ruling party said on Tuesday it has asked the constitutional court to ban the three main opposition forces, a move critics condemned as a final step toward authoritarian rule.
The Black Sea nation has been mired in political crisis since last year’s parliamentary elections, which the opposition says were rigged. It has refused to recognise the new parliament and government.
Tensions deepened after the government shelved EU-membership talks with Brussels, triggering months of street protests that have dwindled recently amid a clampdown on opposition politicians, critical journalists and activists.
Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, of the governing Georgian Dream party, said it has asked the constitutional court to outlaw the United National Movement of jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, the Ahali-Coalition for Change, and Strong Georgia-Lelo.
He accused them of “repeatedly undermining the legitimacy of the government and acting against the state’s constitutional order.”
Papuashvili said other smaller groups “closely related” to the three could also face action.
Georgian Dream alleges the opposition has “systematically attempted to overthrow or forcibly change Georgia’s constitutional order” and “supported foreign forces” in undermining the country’s independence.
The constitutional court, widely seen as controlled by the ruling party, has nine months to decide on the request.
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Former president Salome Zurabishvili called the move “the ultimate step in Georgia’s reign of terror,” saying it aimed to turn the country into a “Russian-style authoritarian regime.”
Opposition figures also denounced the appeal.
“It doesn’t matter which parties Ivanishvili’s kangaroo court bans – the only thing that will be truly banned are Papuashvili and Ivanishvili’s accomplices,” said Tina Bokuchava, head of the United National Movement, referring to the ruling party’s billionnaire chief Bidzina Ivanishvili.
She urged pro-democracy forces to unite against what she called the “betrayal of Georgia’s European future”.
In power since 2012, Georgian Dream has faced accusations of democratic backsliding, drifting toward Russia and derailing Georgia’s EU bid.
The party rejects this, saying it is safeguarding stability while a Western “deep state” seeks to drag Georgia into the Ukraine war with the help of opposition parties.
(vib)