Georgia: a new pro-Russian president appointed in the midst of a political crisis

An electoral college dominated by the ruling party in Georgia appointed far-right loyalist Mikheil Kavelashvili as its new president on Saturday, in a vote boycotted by the opposition which risks accentuating the ongoing political crisis in this country. Caucasus.

The head of the Georgian electoral commission, Giorgi Kalandarichvili, said that Mr. Kavelashvili had been elected with 224 votes.

But the current head of state, the pro-Western Salomé Zourabichvili, had previously deemed this vote illegal and said that she would refuse to give up her mandate until new legislative elections had been organized.

Over the years, certain forces, particularly external ones, have exploited the presidential institution to divide societyfor his part declared, after the vote, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to journalists. Under the presidency of Mikheïl Kavelashvili, it will regain its constitutional mission and its dignity.

The former Soviet republic has been going through unrest since the ruling party, Georgian Dream, claimed victory in the October 26 legislative elections – denounced as rigged by the opposition – and the government decided, at the end of November, to suspend until in 2028 any negotiations for accession to theUE.

Since this decision, thousands of demonstrators, who accuse the government of wanting to put the country back in Moscow’s orbit, have taken to the streets of Tbilisi every evening.

On Saturday, new opposition rallies, organized by different groups, took place in Tbilisi. The day’s demonstrations took place peacefully, noted journalists from theAFP.

From 9 a.m., hundreds of protesters braved the cold and a few snowflakes in front of parliament. Then young people made passes with soccer balls to mock Mikheïl Kavelashvili, who is a former professional soccer player.

Georgia never loses its sense of humordeclared Salomé Zourabichvili on social networks, believing that the vote was a parody of democracy.

Known for his violent criticism of critics of the government, Mr. Kavelashvili was officially the only candidate, as the opposition refused to sit in Parliament and did not nominate anyone for these essentially symbolic functions.

Procedure illegitimate

When the president’s nomination was announced, Giorgi Tsamalachvili, 21, continued to play soccer in front of parliament. The procedure is illegitimatesaid this student toAFPbecause before that, he continued, the October legislative elections had been falsified.

Aged 53, Mr. Kavelashvili is accused by protesters of being a puppet of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia, founded the Georgian Dream party and has ruled Georgia from behind the scenes since 2012.

This Saturday’s balloon dance contrasts with the violent clashes which marked the first 10 days of the demonstration movement, which began on November 28.

More than 400 protesters were arrested, according to official figures. Authorities also arrested several opposition leaders.

Amnesty International denounced Friday the practices brutal dispersal, arbitrary detention and torture law enforcement.

On Saturday, demonstrators installed a banner opposite parliament showing the swollen faces of around forty alleged victims of police violence.

A group of women went to meet a procession of police blocking access to the side entrance of parliament, under the slogan don’t touch our children.

Mother of two young adults, Ana Karkashadze claims to have seen own eyes how is this illegitimate government had beaten and severely treated children at the same place a few days ago.

Some demonstrators anticipated a possible increase in tensions on the occasion of the lighting of the large Christmas tree installed just in front of parliament, scheduled for 7 p.m.

The mayor of the capital, who is to perform during this apparently festive event, is Kakhaber Kaladze, another ex-international soccer player, also a member of Georgian Dream and reputed to be close to Bidzina Ivanishvili.

They will say that the [manifestants antigouvernement] came for the Christmas tree, or they will clear the streets with the riot police and bring their own supportersimagines Amiran Ramishvili, a 33-year-old protester.

For this software designer, the fact that power has planned the election and the Christmas tree on the same day is an attempt to provoke a confrontation.