Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Georgian authorities should not encourage processes that could lead to another stand-off in the society, chairman of the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction Zakaria Kutsnashvili has said, Georgia Online reported on Monday.

Kutsnashvili was commenting on the "Unanimity" initiative requesting Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili to also act as Georgia's President, since constitutional presidency deadline of incumbent Mikheil Saakashvili expired on January 20.

"I agree with the part of Temur Shashiashvili's [leader of political party Tetrebi, which is one of the organizers of the protest against Saakashvili] statement that from Jan.20 on, Georgia will have a president whose tenure has expired, and whether Saakashvili will remain in his post is a matter of his conscience," Kutsnashvili said.

Saakashvili's opponents held a rally in front of the presidential palace in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday. The campaign organized by "Unanimity" union brought together 500 people.

Participants of the protest, including many well-known people of the former Soviet Union, publicly insisted on the completion of Saakashvili's constitutional term of office. According to them, if Saakashvili doesn't resign, this will cause disorder, and the responsibility for this would rest with those who agree with his staying in power longer.

Participants of the rally stressed that Saakashvili's term in office since his election to the position has expired, therefore, from this day onward he should not serve as president.

Earlier, on January 5, the "Unanimity" gave Saakashvili an ultimatum, calling on the president to step down before January 20. According to the organizers, they have collected a million signatures to demand the resignation of Saakashvili.

In addition, the protesters demanded that the parliament of Georgia initiate the process of impeachment of Saakashvili.

But the leaders of Georgian Dream, including Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, have repeatedly said they don't intend to start impeachment proceedings against Saakashvili.

Saakashvili is on a visit to Strasbourg to attend the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). He is due to return home by Friday.

Georgia held parliamentary elections on October 1, 2012. Bidzina Ivanishvili's opposition coalition Georgian Dream won the election, after which a new government was formed. Ivanishvili serves as prime minister in the new cabinet.