President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the peaceful rally at the Rustaveli Avenue on October 28, the next day after the highly controversial parliamentary elections. She had called for the rally yesterday, rejecting the results of the elections and saying that “nothing can make them legitimate.”
As she addressed the crowd before the Parliament she said: “You, the people who gathered here, you have not lost the elections! Your vote was stolen and they tried to steal your future as well. But nobody has the right to do that. And you won’t give anyone the right to do so.” She said: “… I solemnly swear I will be with you till the end on this European path. And until we reach the Europe’s doors, which is our true reality and future.”
She said that during the day she gave 17 interviews to international media to explain the developments, spoke to 6 presidents, including European ones, spoke to foreign ministers”. She noted the messages of support from various European leaders, from the U.S., including the statement from U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. She said: “No one, expect the one who just passed by [referring to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is staying nearby, in the hotel on Rustaveli Avenue, and recently arrived in Tbilisi], recognizes these elections.”
She noted, that the message she received was that “we have to investigate to the end, and we may receive international support in that, so that the investigation is thorough, and none of the questions are left without answers.” She said that the local observer missions are engaged in this process, as well as the CSOs and political parties. She also said that society also can help in this process, because you have a lot of evidence…” She reiterated that this was the theft of elections, the pre-planned operation “which stole our votes, our Parliament and Constitution.”
“This is the first step” she said adding: “I am sure that political parties will tell you how they plan to act.”
“Very calmly we will protect what is ours, your Constitutional right to have your vote protected. We have nothing else, but our votes.”
There is not time for pessimism she said, adding “We have to very decisively, consistently and calmly protect our votes.”
She said that the political parties will present the political action plan. “The Georgian Charter and our European path is the only alternative and we are all united behind it. Give your vote to Europe, to the future, to Georgia!” Salome Zurabishvili concluded.