The crisis between the pro-Western camp and the pro-Russian camp is worsening in Georgia. The outgoing head of state in Georgia, Salomé Zourabichvili, said on Sunday that she remained the “legitimate president”, but announced that she would leave the presidential palace on Sunday, the day of the inauguration of her successor, Mikhail Kavelashvili, pro-Russian. ultra conservative and virulently anti-Western, designated by the pro-Russian government party, after weeks of demonstrations by pro-European opponents.
“I remain the only legitimate president of Georgia”she declared in front of the presidential palace in front of a crowd of supporters. “I will leave the presidential palace to stand by your side, carrying with me the legitimacy, the flag and your trust,” she added.
At the same time, the “new” president, Mikheïl Kavelashvili, a former footballer, was sworn in on Sunday in Parliament during a short ceremony. At least 2,000 people, brandishing numerous European flags, gathered in front of the presidential palace to denounce this inauguration, a new episode in a political crisis which has lasted for two months.
A president under threat
Outgoing President Salomé Zourabichvili is taking enormous risks to challenge the government dominated by the pro-Russian and far-right Georgian Dream party, and as a result Moscow is mobilizing all its forces to prevent Georgia from falling into the Western camp. . At a recent rally, she did not hesitate to confront riot police, questioning them to find out if they were on the side of Georgia or Moscow.
Salomé Zourabichvili was elected to the presidency in 2018 with the support of the Georgian Dream party but has since become one of its staunchest critics, defending pro-European protesters and criticizing the government’s turn towards Russia and Vladimir Putin. In a context of political turmoil, she managed to bring together a dispersed opposition and delivered a clear pro-Western message to Georgians and the international community. Since then, the ruling party has clearly threatened him with prison, which has provoked numerous messages of protest in Europe.
