Georgian Parliament Postpones President's Annual Address

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's final term ends later this year, and he has battled the new government's efforts to marginalize him.

A majority in Georgia's parliament has voted to postpone President Mikheil Saakashvili's annual address to lawmakers just one day before he was scheduled to deliver it.

Parliament speaker David Usupashvili told journalists on February 7 that the speech is postponed indefinitely because of the ongoing debate over constitutional amendments that would limit the presidential right to dissolve the government without parliamentary approval.

Usupashvili said a new date for the address to parliament can only be given after the lawmakers reach agreement on the issue.

The majority in the parliament is represented by members of the Georgian Dream coalition led by Saakashvili’s rival, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Saakashvili's United National Movement party became a minority in the parliament after October's parliamentary elections.

Based on reporting by Interfax, Novosti-Gruzia, and ITAR-TASS