The Hill is a newspaper published for and about the U.S. Congress, focusing on business, lobbying, political campaigns and other important events taking place on Capitol Hill. The Hill published an article about the Georgian Parliament Chairman David Usupashvili’s visit to Washington with the aim to dissolve rumors about Georgia changing western values in favor of close alliance with Russia.

Mr. Usupashvili has met the State Department officials and lawmakers. The main topic has been constitutional crisis. President’s right to dissolve the government is an imminent danger for Georgia and it is not something that democratic presidents entertain in the world.
During the political battle between Saakashvili and Ivanishvili before the last year’s elections, both sides hired the public relations firms and lobbyists who did their jobs in Washington. The new government of Georgia has tried many of those lobbyists and firms but finally has retained only two of them – Harvard Law School Professor Larry Lessig and Ohio Northern University Professor Howard Fenton. This was done in order for the government to make the case that Saakashvili’s team is undemocratic.
Usupashvili stated that Saakashvili has asked for the constitutional reform coupled with an amnesty for former government officials accused of corruption and other abuses of power. Also, Mr. Saakashvili has accused the new government of using Georgian courts to go after the opponents, but the government says it is merely following up on past allegations that have been gathering dust under Saakashvili’s rule.
Georgia was facing constitutional crisis. Remarks made by the parliament members of the United National Movement and the Party’s representatives about the amendments leave a feeling that at some point for them it is more important to oppose Georgian Dream Coalition, rather than try to make constitutional amendments that are fairly important for Georgia. One way to prove that UNM is capable of competing with Georgian Dream is to approve constitutional amendments that are really beneficial. Frankly speaking, it is high time for us to realize that it is no more interesting for Georgians to observe the adverse behavior between the politicians. When is that going to change? As it seems something is already changing. At least the UNM, being in fierce opposition to the current government, has supported the constitutional changes. Let us consider for now that the ice-breaking has taken place. Kind of!