December 29, 2024 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

On December 29, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the people near the Orbeliani presidential palace, just as the inauguration of the GD president, Mikheil Kavelashvili, was taking place in parliament. She said that the people were the only source of legitimacy, and that she would take this legitimacy with her, announcing her decision to leave the Orbeliani Palace and continue her work as the only legitimate institution in the country.

Addressing the public in the same outfit she wore at her inauguration she said: “Let’s remember what legitimacy is, it comes from the only source – and that source is you, the people. Where there is no trust of the people, there can be no legitimacy and that is why I will come out and be with you..”

“Six years ago, I swore an oath to the Constitution, but more importantly, to my country… That’s why I’m here today… I’m going to come out of here and come to you and be with you. This building doesn’t belong to anyone, this building was a symbol while the President, who was legitimate, sat here. I’m taking away the legitimacy, I’m taking away the flag, I’m taking away what is your trust,” she stressed.

President Zurabishvili recalled that she had given time to the Honorary President of the GD, Bidzina Ivanishvili, to find a way out of the crisis and to agree on new and fair elections, noting that the response was received with threats against her, as well as the cynicism, repression, violence and war against the people and their will. No one came and the response to this offer was threats against me, cynicism towards you, repression, violence, war against their own people and their own will. “Their response is the parody that is now taking place in the Parliament [referring to Kavelashvili inauguration], which does not become this country,” she said. She described the GD authorities as “scared, illegitimate, sold out, sanctioned and angry”.

“Because there is a parody, there are two different images here. There are those who are locked up [in the Parliament], afraid, sold out, illegitimate, not recognized by anyone, sanctioned and angry. We are open, free, joyful, very calm. The truth is with us because we have love for the country, and with us, perhaps more importantly, we have love for each other, and that is why we will win,” she stressed.

“The ruling party, which spoke of peace, not only started a war against its own people, but also destroyed all points of convergence in sport, culture, the church and divided society,” she said.

President Zurabishvili stated the ruling party has brought the country into a “total crisis”, first by the “total manipulation of the elections”, then by the illegitimate Prime Minister alone deciding to bring the country back into the Russian orbit and by total isolation of the country in order to facilitate the installation of the Russian dictatorship. She noted that this crisis has caused cracks in the regime, with some officials and public servants distancing themselves from the GD, and businesses speaking out.

Future Plans

Regarding the actions to be taken in the future, she stressed that everyone should continue to do their job, with people standing in solidarity, continuing their protests, demanding the release of detained protesters and new elections. She also noted that the release of the detainees will happen soon because the ruling party will give in.

Regarding the new elections, she said that work is underway on a comprehensive document with all the details of what should be done to ensure free and fair elections, including issues such as protecting the secrecy of the ballot and the universality of voting. She said the document would be made public soon.

President Zurabishvili urged political parties and people interested in entering politics to prepare for new – inevitable – elections. She also called for the protection of free media as an integral part of any democracy. Regarding the struggle against the repressive regime, she stressed the need to strengthen the funds set up to support those imprisoned, fined and dismissed from public service for protesting against the ruling party. She noted that these people need the help of lawyers, which they will receive.

As for her plans, she announced tours of the regions to meet with demonstrators there, meetings with different sectors of society, such as representatives of the business community to draw up a plan to get out of the financial crisis that the country will soon be facing, meetings with civil servants to show that they will be protected in the coming weeks or months, meetings with new political forces and young people who will enter politics in the future.

“I will go abroad and I will return to the country,” she stressed, saying that she will continue her visits to Western countries, from which she has already received invitations to attend several events. She emphasized that she was ready to go all the way with the people, stressing that the end of these processes and the final victory were very close.

“We will welcome the New Year together on the 31st of December on Rustaveli Avenue,” the President announced, saying that the New Year will be peaceful and victorious.

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