Georgia crisis deepens as government set to name far-right president 

 

Anti-government demonstrators light up their mobile telephones as they protest against the Georgian government's postponement of European Union accession talks until 2028, outside the Parliament in Tbilisi, Dec. 12, 2024.

Tbilisi —

Georgia\’s political crisis deepened Friday after new pro-Europe protests were announced ahead of the controversial nomination of a far-right government loyalist as president.

The Black Sea nation has been in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party claimed victory in contested October parliamentary elections, with its decision last month to delay EU accession talks igniting a fresh wave of mass rallies.

More unrest is expected on Saturday when Georgian Dream will appoint far-right former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili as president in a controversial election process.

Anti-government protesters wave a Georgian and European Union flag during a demonstration against the Georgian government's postponement of European Union accession talks until 2028, outside the Parliament in Tbilisi, Dec. 12, 2024.

With Zurabishvili refusing to leave office, opposition lawmakers boycotting Parliament and protests showing no signs of abating, critics are questioning Kavelashvili\’s legitimacy before he even takes up the role.

One author of Georgia\’s constitution, Vakhtang Khmaladze, has argued that all decisions by the new Parliament are void because the body started work before awaiting the outcome of a lawsuit brought by Zurabishvili.

"Georgia is facing an unprecedented constitutional crisis," Khmaladze told AFP.

It remains unclear how the government will react to Zurabishvili\’s refusal to step down after her successor is inaugurated on December 29.

A former French diplomat, Zurabishvili is a hugely popular figure among protesters who view her as a beacon of Georgia\’s European aspirations.

"Let them try to kick Salome out of the presidential palace — we will all stand up to defend her," Otar Turnava, a 23-year-old protester, told AFP at a rally outside Parliament on Thursday.

"She is the only legitimate leader we have had since Georgian Dream stole the election, and she will lead us into the EU."

\’Brutal violence\’

In power for more than a decade, Georgian Dream has pushed increasingly conservative policies in recent years, including measures targeting civil society, independent media, opposition parties and the LGBTQ community.

Critics say the moves mirror repressive Russian-style legislation and Brussels has called them "incompatible" with EU membership.

Amid the latest crisis, police have raided the offices of opposition parties and the prime minister has repeatedly pledged to "eradicate liberal fascism."

FILE – Fireworks shot by protesters explode near police in riot gear firing tear gas during a nationwide protests against the Georgian government's decision to shelve EU membership talks, in Tbilisi, Dec. 2, 2024.

Announcing the latest visa bans on top Georgian figures, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: "The United States strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party\’s ongoing, brutal, and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, including protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures."

Georgia\’s Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili called the move "incomprehensible and meaningless," accusing the outgoing U.S. administration of "deliberately worsening relations with Georgia."

He struck back at critics of Kavelashvili, saying "it is vital to have a president who does not fall under the influence of a foreign power, as is the case with Ms. Salome Zurabishvili."

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the ongoing repressions in a phone call to Georgian Dream\’s honorary chairman and founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili.

The secretive billionaire, widely assumed to be Georgia\’s real power broker, raged against the West on the campaign trail earlier this year.

 

By：VOA