The President of Georgia calls the country's Parliament "illegitimate".

2024-12-01 14:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The President of Georgia calls the country's Parliament

Georgia's president, Salome Zurabishvili, a staunch critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has called the country's parliament illegitimate and vowed to keep the position of president even after her term ends in December.

Meanwhile, Washington announced that it has severed the "strategic partnership" with Georgia.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, Washington condemned the security measures used against Georgians who have protested after disputed elections and after a November 28 announcement by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that his government would suspend EU membership talks and reject grants. budget from Brussels "until the end of 2028".

"The United States condemns the excessive use of force by police against Georgians attempting to exercise their rights of assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest," said a spokesman for the US Department of Defense. State, Matthew Miller.

"By suspending Georgia's EU membership process, the Georgian Dream has rejected the possibility of closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin," he said.

"The various anti-democratic actions of the Georgian Dream have violated the basic principles of the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership, which was based on shared values ??and commitments to democracy, the rule of law, civil society, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as efforts against corruption. As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism," he emphasized.

More than 100 people were arrested at a large pro-EU rally in Tbilisi on November 29, as Georgian police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters.

Georgia's interior ministry said protesters had "insulted and physically attacked" police officers and had thrown various objects at security forces.

Various videos from the protest showed police officers beating protesters.

Kobakhidze suggested on November 30 that there were "isolated" incidents of police brutality, but also "systematic violence" against security forces by protesters.

"On one side there was violence, on the other side there were incidents," he said at a press conference.

Days ago, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for new legislative elections in Georgia and for sanctions against senior members of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

The resolution states that the election result does not "serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people".

The resolution also calls on the European Union, which froze Georgia's application for membership last month, to impose sanctions on top officials of the ruling party, including Irakli Kobakhidze.

Georgia won EU candidate status in December 2023, but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, especially after the passage of a controversial law on "foreign agents," which critics say aims to discredit thousands of media and civil society groups. civilians as "servants of foreign powers"./ Rel