While the President of Georgia, Salomé Zourabichvili announced this morning that she was leaving the presidential palace, but that she was still the president ” legitimate » of the people, Mikhail Kavelashvili, close to the ruling party, took the oath behind closed doors. A ceremony described as “ circus » by the opposition. The new Georgian president is a former football player, now an MP, who displays very anti-Western opinions.
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Outside Parliament, a crowd of demonstrators brandished a red card. The footballer, Mikhail Kavelachvili, who has become a deputy for the Georgian Dream since 2016, embodies the most right-wing wing of this nationalist party in power. Hostile toEuropean Unionhis remarks border on conspiracyism: he maintains, for example, that Western intelligence agencies are seeking to bring Georgia into war with the Russia.
The new president is above all a loyalist of the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishviliformer Prime Minister and founder of the Georgian Dream, accused of pulling the country’s strings behind the scenes, this billionaire is now under American sanctions.
Bidzina Ivanishvili is usually discreet – especially since the start of the massive demonstrations – but he was present for the induction of Mikhail Kavelashvili into Parliament which was held for the first time in history behind closed doors.
Also readGeorgia: Mikhail Kavelashvili, a former footballer propelled to the presidency of a country in the midst of crisis
Microphone left open
Boycotted by the opposition and by many foreign diplomats, the event was broadcast on a television in a hall, with journalists not having the right to participate.
“ Today, our country is faced with an artificial polarization of society, imposed from outside “, declared Mikhail Kavelashvili during his oath, advocating “ love of family, of homeland » and the Orthodox faith.
After his brief speech, the microphone remained open. He could be heard saying, while being congratulated by members of the Georgian Dream party: “ I am your “personal president” “.
Also readGeorgia: Salomé Zourabichvili claims to be “the only legitimate president”