The sixth president of Georgia was elected Mikhail Kavelashvili, which was presented by the ruling party “Georgian Dream”. This was reported by the Georgian news site “News-Georgia” with reference to the statement of the head of the CEC Georgy Kalandarishvili.
In particular, 224 electors voted for Kavelashvili. For victory, it was necessary to gain 200 votes – 2/3 of the full composition of the college.
Kavelashvili was not present at the vote. In the meeting room, he appeared before the announcement of the results.
The elections took place against the background of a protest promotion on Rustaveli and with enhanced security measures.
The election of the President in Georgia was first carried out by the Board of Electors, and not directly by citizens.
The collegium consists of 150 deputies of the Georgian Parliament, 21 deputies of the Supreme Council of Adjara, 20 representatives of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia and 109 deputies of the district Sakrebulo (City Councils). Mikhail Kavelashvili, a former football player and deputy of the parliament, who is known for his anti -Western. statements. The opposition does not participate in the work of the parliament and did not nominate its candidates.
The sixth president of Georgia is elected for a period of five years. Inauguration will take place on December 29.
Meanwhile, the fifth president of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili called today’s elections a “parody” and “provocation”. Like the opposition, she considers the parliament illegitimate and does not plan to put its powers until new parliamentary elections are held in the country.
The government’s decision on the suspension of European integration
Protests do not subside in Georgia, after the government announced the suspension of negotiations with the European Union (EU) until the end of 2028.
Protest shares began in Tbilisi and other cities of Georgia after the statement of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that the republic will not begin to negotiate in the EU until the end of 2028.
On November 28, Kobahidze said that some European politicians intervene in the internal affairs of Georgia and blackmail Tbilisi with grants. “Taking all this into account, we decided not to raise the question of the start of negotiations with the EU for discussion until the end of 2028,” said the head of the Georgian government.
In protest against the decision of the government, residents of other cities entered the streets. Georgian media write that after the government’s decision to suspend European integration, the ambassadors of Georgia, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bulgaria and South Korea resigned from their posts.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on the introduction of sanctions against 19 representatives of the Georgian authorities, including the Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the leader of the ruling party “Georgian Dream” Bidzina Ivanishvili. The US State Department also allowed the introduction of additional sanctions against Georgia.