Ex-Soccer Participant Turns into Georgia’s President In Blow To Its EU Aspirations

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Former soccer participant Mikheil Kavelashvili turned president of Georgia on Saturday, because the ruling get together tightened its grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the nation’s EU aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia.

Kavelashvili, 53, was the one candidate on the poll and simply gained the vote given the Georgian Dream get together’s management of a 300-seat electoral faculty that changed direct presidential elections in 2017. It’s made up of members of Parliament, municipal councils and regional legislatures.

Georgian Dream retained management of Parliament within the South Caucasus nation in an Oct. 26 election that the opposition alleges was rigged with Moscow’s assist. Georgia’s outgoing president and essential pro-Western events have since boycotted parliamentary classes and demanded a rerun of the poll.

Georgian Dream has vowed to proceed pushing towards EU accession but in addition desires to “reset” ties with Russia.

In 2008 Russia fought a short warfare with Georgia, which led to Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway areas as unbiased, and a rise within the Russian army presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Critics have accused Georgian Dream — established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia — of changing into more and more authoritarian and tilted towards Moscow, accusations the ruling get together has denied. The get together not too long ago pushed by legal guidelines just like these utilized by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.

Professional-Western Salome Zourabichvili has been president since 2018 and has vowed to remain on after her six-year time period ends Monday, describing herself as the one reliable chief till a brand new election is held.

Georgian Dream’s resolution final month to droop talks on their nation’s bid to affix the European Union added to the opposition’s outrage and galvanized protests.

Zourabichvili, 72, was born in France to folks with Georgian roots and had a profitable profession with the French International Ministry earlier than President Mikheil Saakashvili named her Georgia’s prime diplomat in 2004.

Constitutional modifications made the president’s job largely ceremonial earlier than Zourabichvili was elected by well-liked vote with Georgian Dream’s assist in 2018. She turned sharply important of the ruling get together, accusing it of pro-Russia insurance policies, and Georgian Dream unsuccessfully tried to question her.

“I remain your president — there is no legitimate Parliament and thus no legitimate election or inauguration,” she has declared on the social community X. “My mandate continues.”

Talking to The Related Press, Zourabichvili rejected authorities claims that the opposition was fomenting violence.

“We are not demanding a revolution,” Zourabichvili stated. “We are asking for new elections, but in conditions that will ensure that the will of the people will not be misrepresented or stolen again.”

“Georgia has been always resisting Russian influence and will not accept having its vote stolen and its destiny stolen,” she stated.

Zourabichvili known as Saturday’s vote a “provocation” and “a parody” whereas a pacesetter of one in all Georgia’s essential opposition events stated it was unconstitutional.

Giorgi Vashadze of the Unity Nationwide Motion Coalition stated Zourabichvili is “the only legitimate source of power.”

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in the meantime stated that Kavelashvili’s election “will make a significant contribution to strengthening Georgia’s statehood and our sovereignty, as well as reducing radicalism and so-called polarization.”

“The main mission of the presidential institution is to care for the unity of the nation and society,” stated Kobakhidze, a former college professor and later chairman of Georgian Dream.

Georgian Dream nominated Kavelashvili — mocked for missing greater schooling by Georgia’s opposition. Some protesters outdoors Tbilisi’s Parliament constructing on Saturday morning introduced their very own college diplomas whereas others kicked soccer balls.

Kavelashvili was a striker within the Premier League for Manchester Metropolis and in a number of golf equipment within the Swiss Tremendous League. He was elected to Parliament in 2016 on the Georgian Dream ticket and in 2022 co-founded the Individuals’s Energy political motion, which was allied with Georgian Dream and turn out to be recognized for its sturdy anti-Western rhetoric.

Kavelashvili was one of many authors of a controversial legislation requiring organizations that obtain greater than 20% of their funding from overseas to register as “pursuing the interest of a foreign power,” just like a Russian legislation used to discredit organizations important of the federal government.

The EU, which granted Georgia candidate standing in December 2023 provided that the nation meets the bloc’s suggestions, put its accession on maintain and minimize monetary assist in June following approval of the “foreign influence” legislation.

Hundreds of demonstrators converged on the Parliament constructing each evening after the federal government introduced the suspension of EU accession talks on Nov. 28.

Riot police used water cannons and tear gasoline virtually day by day to disperse and beat scores of protesters, a few of whom threw fireworks at law enforcement officials and constructed barricades on the capital’s central boulevard.

Tons of had been detained and over 100 handled for accidents.

A number of journalists had been overwhelmed by police and media employees accused authorities of utilizing thugs to discourage folks from attending anti-government rallies, which Georgian Dream denies.

The crackdown has drawn sturdy condemnation from the USA and EU officers.

″(Kavelashvili) just isn’t elected by us. He’s managed by a puppet authorities, by Bidzina Ivanishvili, by Putin,” protester Sandro Samkharadze stated. One other protester waved an indication saying “We are children of Europe.”

Demonstrators vowed the rallies would proceed. “If (the government) wants to go to Russia, they can go to Russia, because we are not going anywhere. We are staying here,” stated protester Kato Kalatozishvili.