Georgia's four largest opposition parties have jointly appealed to the European Union. They called for declaring the "regime" of the founder of the Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, illegitimate.
Points of attention
- Georgian opposition parties call for the European Union to declare Bidzina Ivanishvili's regime as illegitimate.
- They advocate for new elections under an improved electoral system to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Georgia.
- Political forces in Georgia oppose authoritarianism and strive for a democratic European future with the support of the EU.
Georgian oppositionists appeal to the EU
Political forces that entered parliament following the election results but refused their parliamentary mandates made a joint appeal to the EU.
The letter is addressed to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kai Kallas, and to the foreign ministers of the EU member states.
The appeal states that Georgia is facing an unprecedented political crisis that requires immediate action from the European Union.
It is noted that the election of Mikhail Kavelashvili as the sixth president of Georgia worsens an already difficult situation. The authors of the appeal recall that Kavelashvili was one of the initiators of the law on foreign agents and is often engaged in active anti-Western propaganda. And after being elected by the "self-proclaimed and illegitimate parliament", he will allegedly have neither independence nor legitimacy.
We, the political parties and coalitions of Georgia, together with civil society organizations and protesters, agree that the only solution to the current crisis is to hold new elections in an improved electoral system, with a politically balanced election administration and neutral state institutions.
The authors of the joint statement emphasize that the Georgian people are “courageously resisting Russia-backed authoritarianism, fighting for their democratic European future.” And EU support is crucial to success.
The letter was signed by Nika Melia (Coalition for Change), Tina Bokuchava (Unity — National Movement), Mamuka Khazaradze (Strong Georgia), and Zaza Tavadze (Gakharia for Georgia).
Situation in Georgia
The current President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, came to a rally on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, where protesters gathered after the electoral college announced the election of Mikheil Kavelashvili as the country's "president."
Zurabishvili wished the demonstrators a peaceful evening and called for preventing provocations.
"The Christmas trees will not be lit tonight. Be together in peace, be together, and I am with you, because we will not allow any provocations here. I am with you, you are in my heart," Salome Zurabishvili addressed the participants of the action.
Earlier, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced that the New Year's event near the parliament building had been postponed.
