Former soccer player Mikheil Kavilashvili was officially inaugurated as Georgia's president on Sunday, strengthening the ruling party's grip, which the opposition has seen as a blow to the country's EU aspirations and former imperial ruler Russia. declares victory.
Outgoing pro-West Georgian President Salome Zorabicholi said early Sunday that she would vacate her residence in Tbilisi's Orbeliani Palace, but insisted she was still the legitimate incumbent.
“I will leave here, come to you and stay with you. … This presidential residence was a symbol as long as there was a president here who was legitimate. I bring legitimacy with me,” Zorabcholi said. told a crowd of supporters outside the palace.
He called Kevlaashvili's inauguration a “parody”.
Kavilashvili, 53, the only candidate on the ballot, easily won the vote in early December, as the Georgian Dream party controlled the 300-seat electoral college that replaced direct presidential elections in 2017. was It consists of members of parliament, municipal councils and regional legislatures.
In his speech on Sunday, Kavilashvili promised that he would be “everybody's president, whether they like me or not.” He called on the nation to unite behind “shared values, principles of mutual respect and the future we must build together”.
Georgian Dream retained control of the South Caucasus country's parliament in October 26 elections that the opposition accuses of being rigged with the help of Moscow. The party has vowed to push ahead with EU accession but also wants to “reset” relations with Russia.
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Georgia's outgoing president and pro-Western parties have boycotted parliamentary sessions since the election and called for a recount.
In 2008, Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which led to Moscow's recognition of the two breakaway regions as independent, and increased Russian military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Critics have accused Georgian Dream – founded by Budzina Ivanshvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia – of becoming increasingly authoritarian and leaning towards Moscow, with the ruling party rejecting them. The allegations have been denied. The party recently pushed through laws used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of expression and LGBTQ2 rights.
Georgian Dream's decision last month to suspend negotiations on its country's bid to join the European Union fueled opposition outrage and increased protests.
Demonstrators held up red cards in front of the parliament building on Sunday, referring to Kealashvili's career in football.
“Because today our president is a footballer, we are showing him a red card. The next step is to send him off the field. The people of Georgia will definitely do that, because it was a circus that they have organized today in the parliament. “said protester Sofia Shamanidi. Associated Press.
The outgoing president calls for new elections.
Zorabicholi, 72, was born in France to parents with Georgian roots and had a successful career with the French Foreign Ministry before being named Georgia's top diplomat in 2004 by President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Constitutional changes largely formalized the job of president before Zorabicholi was elected by popular vote in 2018 with the support of Georgian Dream. She became a vocal critic of the ruling party, accusing it of pro-Russian policies, and Georgian Dream tried unsuccessfully to impeach her.
Zorabcholi has rejected the government's claims that the opposition is fueling the violence.
He said that we are not demanding revolution. Associated Press. “We are calling for fresh elections, but under conditions that will ensure that the will of the people is not misrepresented or stolen again.
Who is the new president?
Georgia's opposition has mocked Kavilashvili for his lack of higher education.
He was a striker in the English Premier League for Manchester City and played for several clubs in the Swiss Super League. He was elected to parliament on the Georgian Dream ticket in 2016, and in 2022 co-founded the People's Power political movement, which was affiliated with the Georgian Dream and became known for its strong anti-Western rhetoric.
Kavelashvili was one of the authors of a controversial law requiring organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “following the interest of a foreign power”. Like the Russian law used to discredit critical organizations.
The European Union, which granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on the condition that the country meets the bloc's recommendations, suspended its accession in June after passing a “foreign influence” law and Reduced financial support.
How did the protest happen?
Thousands of protesters gathered at the parliament building every night after the government announced the suspension of EU accession talks on November 28.
Riot police used water cannons and tear gas almost daily to disperse and kill scores of protesters, some of whom fired fireworks at police officers and set up barricades on the capital's main boulevard. Hundreds were detained and more than 100 injured were treated.
Several journalists were beaten by police and media activists accused the authorities of using thugs to prevent people from attending anti-government rallies, which Georgian Dream denies. The crackdown has been strongly condemned by US and EU officials.
© 2024 Canadian Press