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Georgia's pro-European president Salome Zurabishvili has called for new parliamentary elections amid massive protests in the country. A route to a new vote must be found after accusations of electoral fraud and the government abandoning the EU line. “After the election was rigged, we have only one demand under the constitution,” she said during a meeting with opposition representatives. “The only way to achieve stability is through new elections; there is no other way.”
At the same time, she accused the Caucasus republic's constitutional court of not even setting a date to review the electoral fraud claims she submitted.
Thousands protest again in central Tbilisi
In the capital Tbilisi and some other Georgian cities, thousands of people gathered again in the evening to continue their protests against the government. In Tbilisi, police have once again assembled a strong presence and may take action against demonstrators. Police have used water cannons sporadically to drive demonstrators out of the parliament building, Interpress news agency reported.
In Tbilisi, police and anti-government demonstrators clashed violently for the third night in a row. Georgian media reported that police used water cannons and tear gas, and demonstrators fired fireworks at police.
The protests come against the backdrop of late October parliamentary elections, which were overshadowed by accusations of fraud. The electoral commission declared the ruling Georgian Dream party the winner with about 54% of the vote. The opposition does not recognize the results and refuses to accept their mandate.
Zurabishvili said late Saturday she would stay in office for now because the illegal parliament cannot elect a legitimate president. Her term will effectively end in mid-December. For the first time, her successor will no longer be directly elected by the people, but appointed by members of parliament and regional representatives.
Iraqi Prime Minister Kobachidze intensified the protests when he announced on Thursday that he would suspend accession talks with the EU until 2028, accusing them of interference and blackmail. According to surveys, most people want to go to the EU. Accession to the Union was also listed as a constitutional goal.
Von der Leyen: EU door still open
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has kept the door open for Georgia to join the EU, despite the government's pivot to Europe. In a message on Platform X on Sunday, she expressed regret at the government's decision to oppose the EU and its values. But the EU stands by the Georgians and their decisions about Europe's future, she wrote, referring to days of mass protests.
“The EU's door remains open,” von der Leyen stressed. “Georgia’s return to the EU is in the hands of the Georgian leadership.” (Sudan Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)
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