Georgian Government Says President Did Not Get Approval For Foreign Trip

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili (file photo)

Amid an ongoing standoff between the president and government, the Georgian cabinet's press service said on November 9 that President Salome Zurabishvili did not receive consent to travel to France to take part in the Paris Peace Forum. Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili are listed as speakers at the forum. Last month, the ruling Georgian Dream party failed to impeach Zurabishvili over trips she made to EU countries without government consent, which it considered to be a violation of the constitution. Georgian Dream's chairman, Irakli Kobakhidze, said at the time that another "violation of the constitution" would lead to a criminal case against Zurabishvili. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Georgian Service, click here.