Tbilisi Erupts in Pro-EU Protests Amid Controversial Presidential Inauguration

In a dramatic turn of events, at least 2,000 pro-European Union demonstrators flooded the streets of Tbilisi on Sunday, rallying against the inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili, a staunch critic of the West, as Georgia’s new president. His ascent to power has ignited a political crisis in the South Caucasus nation, with the government pausing talks on its EU application, a move that has triggered widespread unrest.

Salome Zurabishvili, the pro-EU president who concluded her term amid this turmoil, boldly proclaimed herself the country’s “only legitimate president.” Declining to vacate the presidential palace just yet, she addressed the throngs of supporters, declaring, “I remain the only legitimate president. I will leave the presidential palace and stand with you, carrying with me the legitimacy, the flag, and your trust.”

The situation in Georgia is teetering on the edge of chaos, with uncertainty looming over what will unfold if Zurabishvili remains in the palace. Meanwhile, the Georgian Dream party, which holds the majority in parliament, is expected to formally install Kavelashvili, a far-right former footballer, as the new head of state.

As the protest grew, demonstrators waved EU flags and chanted “Georgia!” while clutching the railings of the presidential palace, which was adorned with both Georgian and EU flags. The atmosphere was charged with emotion as protesters voiced their discontent, alleging that the Georgian Dream party had manipulated the October parliamentary elections to secure Kavelashvili’s presidency.

Zurabishvili has openly accused the ruling party of election fraud and has called for a new vote, arguing that Kavelashvili’s inauguration lacks legitimacy. She announced her intention to spend the night in the palace, inviting protesters to rally once more in the morning.

Georgia has been engulfed in protests throughout 2024, as opponents of the Georgian Dream government accuse it of steering the country closer to Moscow, rather than fulfilling its long-held aspiration to join the European Union. As tensions rise and the streets of Tbilisi become a battleground for conflicting visions of the nation’s future, the world watches closely.