The Parliament of Georgia approved on December 1 with 90 votes Eva Gotsiridze, former member of the High Council of Justice, as a new judge of the Constitutional Court.

Eva Gotsiridze, who will serve a ten-year term, will replace Lali Papiashvili, whose term in office is to expire later this month.

The ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia’s decision to nominate Gotsiridze sparked criticism from the parliamentary opposition and the civil society organizations, who argued the candidate lacked political neutrality.

Representatives of opposition parties pointed at Gotsiridze’s professional qualifications as well, stressing that she was one of those three Georgia-nominated candidates to the European Court of Human Rights, who failed to meet the criteria of the Committee on the Election of Judges.

“It is a final step in full subordination and politicization, I would say, in degradation of the Constitutional Court,” said MP Roman Gotsiridze of the United National Movement following the parliamentary vote.

MP Irakli Abesadze of the European Georgia said “Eva Gotsiridze’s nomination clearly demonstrates that having politically loyal persons in the Constitutional Court is very comfortable for the Georgian Dream.”

Three members of the nine-member Constitutional Court are elected by the Parliament. The remaining six members are equally appointed by the President and the Supreme Court.