Thousands demonstrate in Georgia to protest the government and the inauguration of the new president

Thousands of Georgians demonstrated again on Saturday evening in the capital, Tbilisi, to protest what they consider an illegitimate government, and to demand the release of detainees who had participated in previous protest demonstrations.
According to media reports, a human chain stretching across the capital turned into a large crowd that gathered in front of the parliament building in the republic located in the South Caucasus. The demonstration initially took place peacefully, and there were reports of protests in other cities.

Inauguration of the new president

The inauguration ceremony of the new president, Mikheil Kavelishvili, is scheduled to be held in Tbilisi tomorrow, Sunday, but the current pro-Western president, Salome Zurabishvili, who participated in the demonstrations today, is seeking to prevent this and has repeatedly stressed that she will not give up her position, as she does not recognize the results. The presidential elections took place on December 14, demanding new elections supported by mass demonstrations.
It is noteworthy that the role of the head of state in Georgia, which has long borders with Russia, tends to perform representative tasks.

Zurabishvili called on her supporters to gather in front of the presidential palace on Sunday. The News Georgia news agency quoted her as saying: “I am waiting for you in front of Orbiani Palace,” noting that she and her supporters will determine the next steps in the coming days.

Daily demonstrations

Georgia has been witnessing daily demonstrations for weeks, with demonstrators demanding a return to the European path and a rerun of the parliamentary elections that resulted in the victory of the conservative nationalist “Georgian Dream” party, which nominated Kavelishvili for the presidency.

It is noteworthy that Kavelishvili, 53 years old, has been a member of the Georgian Parliament since 2016, and was previously a football player in local and international clubs.

The “Georgian Dream” party had suspended the country’s accession negotiations to the European Union until 2028, sparking protests from pro-Western Georgians.
These protests witnessed acts of violence that resulted in hundreds of injuries and arrests, with the police being accused of using violence and torture.