Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, a fierce critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has called the country's parliament illegitimate and vowed to stay in office after her term ends next month, as the United States says it is suspending its "strategic partnership" with the country.
Georgia has been plunged into political crisis following parliamentary elections in October, in which Georgian Dream won 54 percent of the vote, while the opposition and Western governments claim the election was marred by irregularities and Russian influence.
Zurabishvili said yesterday that the "illegitimate" parliament has no right to choose her successor after her term ends in December, and she promised to remain in office.
"There is no legitimate parliament, and therefore the illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president," Zurabishvili said.
"Therefore, the inauguration cannot take place, and my mandate lasts until a legitimately elected parliament is formed," she added.
The United States condemned security measures used against Georgians who took to the streets after disputed elections and after Prime Minister Irakli Kobahidze said his government would suspend EU accession talks and refuse financial support from Brussels "until the end of 2028." year.
"The United States condemns the excessive use of police force against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights of assembly and expression, including the right to peaceful protest," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Miller assessed that "by suspending the EU accession process, the Georgian Dream denied the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin," he said.
"The various anti-democratic actions of the Georgian Dream violated the fundamental principles of the strategic partnership with the United States, which was based on shared values and commitments to democracy, the rule of law, civil society, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the fight against corruption. As a result, the United States States have suspended this mechanism," Miller said.
He again called on the Georgian government "to return to the Euro-Atlantic path, transparently investigate all irregularities in the parliamentary election procedure and repeal anti-democratic laws that limit freedom of assembly and expression."
More than 100 people were arrested at a large pro-European protest in Tbilisi on November 29, where Georgian police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
DON'T MISS IT
Georgia's Interior Ministry said protesters "verbally and physically attacked" police officers and threw various objects at security forces. Various videos from the protest showed police officers hitting protesters.
Kobahidze said yesterday that there were "isolated" cases of police brutality, but also "systemic violence" by demonstrators against the security forces.
The opposition called for continued protests on November 30, and several thousand demonstrators gathered near parliament, waving EU and Georgian flags.
Authorities said the demonstrators damaged the walls of the parliament building by throwing stones and other objects.
Riot police used water cannons and tear gas to calm the crowd shortly after midnight on December 1. There were also reports of fires near the parliament building.
During the first night of the protests, 43 protesters were arrested "as a result of illegal and violent actions," the Interior Ministry said.
Kobahidze said yesterday that "difficult" months await Georgia, but added that he expects relations with the West to "reset".
Zurabishvili, who supports the protesters, condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and the media", comparing the November 29 crackdown to "Russian-style repression".
The next day, she called on the Georgian diaspora to "wake up" and help the protesters, addressing the media and appealing to the authorities in the countries where they live.
"You can no longer remain silent and pretend that nothing is happening in your homeland," she wrote on Facebook.
On November 28, the European Parliament (EP) passed a resolution calling for new parliamentary elections in Georgia and sanctions against senior members of the Georgian Dream party.
In the resolution, the EP believes that the election results "did not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people".
He also called on the European Union (EU), which froze Georgia's application for EU membership last month, to impose sanctions on key officials within the ruling party, including Kobahidze, Georgian Dream chairman Irakli Garibashvili, billionaire and party founder Bidzin Ivanishvili and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha. to Kaladze.
Bonus video:
