Georgia's prime minister says the president should step down

2024-12-01 20:55:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, has said that the country's President Salome Zurabishvili should leave her post as soon as her term ends at the end of this month, despite her pledge not to do so.

A day earlier, Zurabishvili called the country's Parliament illegal and vowed to continue as president.

Georgia has been reeling from parliamentary elections in October - which were won by the ruling Georgian Dream party - but with the opposition and Western governments arguing that the vote was marred by irregularities and Russian influence.

Thousands of demonstrators protested on the streets of Tbilisi on November 30, for the third night in a row, against the Government's decision to suspend membership talks with the European Union.

In central Tbilisi, police fired tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators, some of whom shouted "traitors" and held up pictures of journalists they said had been beaten by police. Demonstrators have set up barricades on Tbilisi's main street.

More than 100 people have been arrested over the past two days, officials said.

Zurabishvili said on November 30 that the "illegal" Parliament has no right to choose her successor after her term ends in December and vowed to keep the post.

"There is no legitimate Parliament, and therefore, an illegitimate Parliament cannot elect a new president," said Zurabishvili.

"Therefore, no inauguration can take place, and my mandate continues until a legitimately elected Parliament is formed," she added, setting up a potential clash with the Georgian Dream.

On December 1, Kobakhidze contradicted her pledge, saying she should step down.

He also disputed Washington's announcement that the United States has suspended the strategic partnership with Georgia.

Calling it a "temporary event," he said his government will talk to the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump when he is inaugurated in January.

Kobakhidze also accused those who opposed the suspension of EU talks of planning a revolt, modeled after Ukraine's Euromaidan protests in 2014.

Spurred by the president's decision to reject closer ties with the EU, months of protests in Kiev culminated that February in violent street clashes. The president, Viktor Yanukovych, then fled the country.

"Some people want to repeat that scenario in Georgia," he said. "But there will be no Maidan in Georgia."

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller criticized the decision to suspend talks with the EU, saying it "makes Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin".

"The United States condemns the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights of assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest," Miller said.

US authorities have tried to put pressure on Georgian officials, imposing sanctions on dozens of government officials whom Washington said have "undermined" democracy and human rights in the country.

The European Union's new foreign policy chief warned Georgian authorities not to use violence against demonstrators.

"It is clear that the use of violence against peaceful protesters is not acceptable and the Georgian Government must respect the will of the Georgian people," Kaja Kallas told reporters during a visit to Ukraine./REL