On 12 July, the Georgian parliament approved 6 of the 9 Supreme Court judicial candidates. 

Ketevan Meskhishvili (4 for, 2 against), Eka Zarnadze (5 for, 6 against) and Giorgi Shavliashvili (3 for, 7 against) failed to receive enough votes at the extraordinary plenary session. The Parliament supported the candidacies of Gocha Abuseridze, Giorgi Gogiashvili, Levan Tevzadze, Revaz Nadaraia, Bidzina Sturua and Lasha Kochiashvili.

After the appointments were made, the NGOs in the country claimed that the ruling Georgian Dream party does not want the independence of the judiciary despite the calls from opposition, NGOs, and the international community to place a moratorium on the process. They stressed that that with the appointment, the ruling party has reaffirmed that voting for individuals affiliated with the clan is in their interest.

The interviews with the judges began on 6 July. Civil society and diplomats have called on the Georgian parliament not to elect judges to the Supreme Court until a judicial reform under European Council President Charles Michel’s document is carried out. Based on the 19 April agreement, “all current appointments to the Supreme Court should be suspended and applications for new candidates resumed after the new law enters into force.”

However, the Georgian Dream representatives stated that the condition stipulated in the agreement of the President of the European Council Charles Michel has already been fulfilled before the signing of the document, accordingly, the process of electing judges of the Supreme Court would not be suspended. A part of the parliamentary opposition and the Public Defender’s Office did not participate in the interview process.