Salome Zurabishvili Leaves Presidential Residence
On December 29, Salome Zurabishvili addressed citizens gathered near the Orbeliani Palace, announcing her decision to leave the palace and join them.
“Six years ago, I swore an oath to the Constitution, but even more so, to loyalty to my country and to you, the people. That is why I am here today. This loyalty will remain unwavering, whether I am in the palace or outside of it. I will leave this place, come out to you, and stand with you,” said Zurabishvili, Georgia’s fifth president.
Zurabishvili stated that the deadline she had set for Bidzina Ivanishvili and other representatives of the Georgian Dream party to come to the Orbeliani Palace had expired. She added that in response to her invitation, she had received threats and cynical remarks.
“This was my call, my offer. There is always a way forward when one prioritizes the country and its future. But no one came here. And what was the response to my offer?
The response was a threat directed at me, which is futile. The response was cynicism directed at you, the people, which will lead nowhere. The response was repression and violence. In essence, the response was a war against their own people and against the will of the people,” Zurabishvili stated.
She also criticized the inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili, calling it a parody.
The president highlighted the “total crisis” she believes has been caused by Ivanishvili’s regime, including the suspension of the EU accession process and the “hijacking” of elections. She expressed her belief that the police would soon cease tolerating the corrupt and criminal systems in place.
Inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili Held in Disputed Parliament
The inauguration ceremony of the ex-Man City striker and far-right, pro-Russian politician Mikheil Kavelashvili took place in the Georgian Parliament. Kavelashvili, who was elected president by an electoral college convened in the parliament, took his oath on the Bible and the Constitution.
Notably, the diplomatic corps was not invited to the event.
“Every citizen of Georgia is dear to me, regardless of their views or political affiliation. I intend to serve as the president of all, irrespective of who supports or opposes me. My future efforts will focus on consolidating and uniting society. Regardless of differing opinions on various issues, we must unite around our homeland, shared values, and mutual respect. Together, we must continue building the future of our country,” stated Kavelashvili, a former football player.
Irakli Kobakhidze, referred to by critics as the “so-called Prime Minister” and appointed by a parliament formed through contested elections, remarked during the event: “This country has not had a patriotic president for over 20 years. Mikheil Kavelashvili now has the opportunity to establish a new tradition following this two-decade gap.”
GYLA Chairwoman: Kavelashvili Signed All Repressive Bills Rushed Through by Georgian Dream
The Chairwoman of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), Nona Kurdovanidze, has criticized the newly elected “so-called” President Mikheil Kavelashvili for signing all 28 repressive bills pushed through by the Georgian Dream party in just nine days.
Kurdovanidze detailed her concerns in a social media post, highlighting the detrimental effects of these legislative changes.
Election Code Amendments:
Kurdovanidze accused Georgian Dream of tailoring election legislation to serve narrow party interests, specifically to gain an unfair advantage in the 2025 local self-government elections. She noted that the new framework undermines the proportional representation of voter intent, increases the number of wasted votes, and unjustly favors the entity with the most support. This, she said, could allow their candidate to secure a majority in municipal councils, despite widespread public disapproval.
Reorganization as Political Cleansing:
The amendments simplify reorganization processes, enabling their use as tools for political purges. Protections for public servants, including through judicial recourse, have been significantly weakened.
Changes to the Code of Administrative Offenses and Laws on Manifestations:
Kurdovanidze outlined new restrictions that penalize protests harshly:
- Drivers joining protest marches that police claim disrupt traffic can face a fine of 1,000 GEL and lose their driving licenses for one year.
- If roads are blocked during rallies but police deem the crowd insufficient to justify the disruption, participants can be fined 5,000 GEL (up from 500 GEL). Organizers could face fines of 15,000 GEL (up from 5,000 GEL).
- Simply carrying pyrotechnics at rallies, regardless of their use, will result in a 5,000 GEL fine. If deemed organized, the organizer faces a 15,000 GEL fine or up to 15 days of administrative imprisonment.
- Wearing a mask or covering one’s face at rallies can result in a fine of 2,000 GEL.
Kurdovanidze noted that these amendments severely limit the ability of citizens to protest, enforce draconian penalties, and suppress dissent.
In total, 28 draft laws were published under Kavelashvili’s signature. Kurdovanidze’s post reflects growing concerns over the erosion of democratic rights and freedoms in Georgia under the current administration.