Former professional footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili has been formally inaugurated as president of Georgia, cementing the ruling party’s grip in what the opposition called a blow to the country’s EU aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia.
Outgoing pro-Western Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili said on Sunday morning that she will vacate her residence at the Orbeliani Palace in Tbilisi, but insisted she is still the legitimate office holder.
“I will come out of here, come out to you and be with you … This presidential residence was a symbol as long as there was a president here who was legitimate. I bring legitimacy with me,” she told a crowd of supporters outside the palace.
She called Mr Kavelashvili’s inauguration a “parody”.
Mr Kavelashvili, who was the only candidate on the ballot paper, easily won the vote earlier in December given the Georgian Dream party’s control of a 300-seat electoral college that replaced direct presidential elections in 2017. It is made up of members of parliament, municipal councils and regional legislatures.
In his speech on Sunday, the 53-year-old promised to be “everyone’s president, regardless of whether they like me or not”.
He called for the nation to unite behind him around “shared values, the principles of mutual respect, and the future we should build together”.
Georgian Dream retained control of Parliament in the South Caucasus nation in an election on October 26 that the opposition alleges was rigged with Moscow’s help. The party has vowed to continue pushing towards accession to the European Union but also wants to “reset” ties with Russia.
Georgia’s outgoing president and main pro-Western parties have boycotted the post-election parliamentary sessions and demanded a re-run of the ballot.
