Reuters on December 29 reported that outgoing Georgian President Zourabichvili gave a speech outside the presidential palace, saying he would leave the palace but affirming that Mr. Kavelashvili was not the legitimate successor.
“I will leave here and take with me your legitimacy, your flag and your faith,” Ms. Zourabichvili told a crowd of supporters outside the presidential palace.
Ms. Zourabichvili accused the parliamentary election in October, which later elected Mr. Kavelashvili as president, of fraud. She affirmed that she is still the “only legitimate president” of Georgia.
Outgoing Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili speaks outside the presidential palace on December 29
Mr. Kavelashvili took office in a ceremony held behind closed doors in the parliament. “Our history clearly shows that after countless struggles to protect our homeland and traditions, peace has always been one of the main goals and values of the Georgian people,” AFP quoted Mr. Kavelashvili as saying. This is also the first time the Georgia president’s inauguration ceremony has been held behind closed doors in the congressional chamber.
Opposition parties in Georgia also have a stance opposing Mr. Kavelashvili. Meanwhile, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the Georgia election commission affirmed that the October election was free and fair. The ruling party says Mr. Kavelashvili is the duly elected president.
In Georgia, the president is the head of state, while responsibility for leading the government lies with the prime minister. On December 29, the BBC reported that the Georgian government had warned that Ms. Zourabichvili could commit a crime if she refused to leave office.
Mr. Kavelashvili (right) was sworn in as President of Georgia at the parliament headquarters on December 29
Mr. Mikhail Kavelashvili is a person with far-right views and is said to be inclined to build relations with Russia, while Ms. Zourabichvili and a number of opposition parties support the stance of getting closer to Europe and the West. The ruling GD Party has suspended discussions on plans to join the European Union (EU), a move that has caused a wave of protests in Georgia in recent months. Mr. Kavelashvili repeatedly criticized Western intelligence agencies for plotting to push Georgia to escalate tensions with neighboring Russia.
On December 29, thousands of people in Georgia protested at the Georgia parliament building. The protesters raised “red cards” as a protest against Mr. Kavelashvili, when he was once a football player for the Manchester City club.
