New Georgian president sworn in as predecessor refuses to stand aside

Mikheil Kavelashvili sworn successful arsenic Georgia’s caller president arsenic pro-EU predecessor refuses to recognise his legitimacy.

Mikheil Kavelashvili has been sworn successful arsenic Georgian president successful a ceremonial successful Parliament successful the superior Tbilisi, amid weeks of protests and the refusal of his pro-Western predecessor to basal aside.

Outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili said connected Sunday successful a defiant code to hundreds of supporters extracurricular the statesmanlike palace that she was leaving the residence but remained the morganatic officeholder.

“This parody, which is presently being played retired successful parliament, is simply a genuine parody that the state has not deserved,” Zourabichvili said.

She added that Kavelashvili was not duly picked, arsenic the legislators who chose him were elected successful an October parliamentary predetermination that she says was marked by fraud.

The pro-European Union person and protesters are demanding a caller ballot to regenerate the predetermination successful question.

The Georgian Dream governing enactment and the country’s predetermination committee accidental the October predetermination was escaped and fair.

Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old erstwhile nationalist footballer, took his oath connected the Bible and the Georgian constitution, swearing to service the country’s interests amid a governmental crisis.

According to section media reports, determination were nary important protests extracurricular the parliamentary buildings portion Kavelashvili was being sworn in.

Founder of the Georgian Dream enactment Bidzina Ivanishvili (R) congratulates caller President Mikheil Kavelashvili [Irakli Gedenidze/Pool via Reuters]

Duly elected president

The governing party, which controls the parliament, besides says Kavelashvili is the duly elected president.

The Georgian Dream enactment had threatened Zourabichvili with situation if she refused to permission the statesmanlike residence successful the centre of Tbilisi.

The authorities led by Georgian Dream froze EU exertion talks successful a determination that prompted large protests.

Georgian Dream’s opponents impeach it of steering Tbilisi towards Moscow alternatively than towards the Caucasus country’s longstanding extremity of joining the EU.