Tbilisi: Georgia’s political crisis escalated on Friday, as pro-Europe protests intensified ahead of the expected nomination of a far-right government loyalist, Kavelashvili, as president. The turmoil in the Black Sea nation began after the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in the disputed October parliamentary elections, and worsened following their decision to delay EU accession talks, sparking mass demonstrations.
On Saturday, an electoral college controlled by Georgian Dream is set to elect Kavelashvili as president in an indirect parliamentary vote, which opposition parties are boycotting.
President Salome Zurabishvili has refused to step down, calling for new parliamentary elections and warning of a constitutional clash. She criticized the upcoming vote, calling it “a parody,” and declared it unconstitutional and illegitimate.
Protests continued in Tbilisi for the 16th consecutive day, with thousands of pro-EU demonstrators taking to the streets. At one rally, Dariko Gogol, 53, accused Georgian Dream of election rigging and steering the country toward Russia. She called for new elections and insisted that President Zurabishvili should remain in office to guide the nation through the crisis.
Opposition groups have accused Georgian Dream of undermining democracy, rigging elections, and shifting the country closer to Russia, jeopardizing Georgia’s long-standing aspirations to join the European Union.
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