Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is expected to meet with Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili later on Monday for consultations on constitutional issues.

The Georgian presidential administration reported that President Saakashvili has offered Ivanishvili to meet on Monday to discuss the situation in the country.

Last Friday, anti-Saakashvili protesters assaulted parliamentarians and senior officials from Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM) outside the National Library in Tbilisi, where the president was preparing to deliver his annual address to the nation.

The confrontation flared over the recently proposed changes to the constitution. Ivanishvili's bloc Georgian Dream had proposed an amendment to the constitution that would strip the president of the right to name a government without the approval of parliament. The UNM parliamentary faction said it would endorse that constitutional amendment only simultaneously with two others: one committing the government to pursue a pro-Western foreign policy and the other increasing the number of votes required for the passage of future constitutional amendments.

Georgian Dream responded to that ultimatum by postponing Saakashvili's annual address to parliament, which had been scheduled for last Friday. In response, the President's administration announced that Saakashvili would make his annual address from the National Library. Later, Saakashvili postponed his speech at the National Library due to acts of violence over the ongoing stand-off around constitutional issues and delivered his speech from the presidential residence in Tbilisi.

On Saturday, Ivanishvili issued a written statement unequivocally condemning the violence, adding that he has asked the Interior Ministry to investigate who was behind it. Ivanishvili also voiced his willingness to engage in dialogue with Saakashvili and his team.

"Once again, I want to state my readiness for mutual relations with the president and his political team with strict observance of the Constitution and the rule of law. I was not given the rights for forgiveness of violent crimes. I'm ready for a reasonable compromise for the benefit of our common homeland on all other issues," the prime minister stated.

President Saakashvili welcomed Ivanishvili's statement. He stressed that what occurred Friday should not happen again, and called for eliminating the pressure on the opposition, confrontation and political violence, violence against representatives of the local authorities, and selective prosecution.

"I invite the Prime Minister and his team for direct dialogue with me and my team. As soon as on Monday, we are ready to sit down and discuss the constitutional amendments as well as a number of the many initiatives that will ensure stable development of our country, co-existence of the opposition and government and reaching a consensus, "Saakashvili said.

The President also reiterated the commitment to deliver the annual speech in parliament and speak there to prevent the process of confrontation in the society.

"February 8 should become the infamous page that should not be repeated. We mustn't teach our society to communicate with the position and the language of hatred," Saakashvili said.