Title: Georgian President Sets Ultmatum for snap Elections; Producer Threatens Imprisonment
Georgia‘s President Salome Zourabichvili has given the ruling power one week to schedule snap parliamentary elections, according to a report by 1TV.ge. She stated, "Let the founder of the ruling party ‘Georgian Dream‘, Bidzina Ivanishvili, come to the palace because he controls everything. I am ready to think about how to schedule the elections. The date must be coordinated before December 29."
During a rally on Rustaveli Avenue, Zourabichvili confirmed to protesters that she will remain in her post. She also announced plans to make a statement from the presidential palace on Monday, expecting a response from Ivanishvili.
Earlier on Sunday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze threatened the president with imprisonment if she refused to vacate the residence upon handover to her successor. The inauguration of the newly elected president of Georgia will take place on Sunday, December 29.
Protests against the ruling party continue in Tbilisi and other major cities across Georgia. While there have been no clashes in recent evenings, police presence has been consistently reduced. On Saturday, there were no police officers in the city center, and the protests remained peaceful, with marches converging outside the parliament building.
The main protest event took place on Rustaveli Avenue, marked by songs and dances, with darkened parliament and adjacent institutional buildings as the backdrop. The calm reaction from the authorities suggests that ‘Georgian Dream’ may be prepared to leave the initiative to the protesters to express their demands and discontent.
The ongoing protests, which began on November 28, were sparked by the government’s decision to suspend talks on Georgia’s EU membership for four years. Earlier this month, authorities banned protesters from covering their faces and using fireworks and lasers during demonstrations. Despite these restrictions, protests have continued, and on November 28, a new president was elected, with former footballer Mikhail Kavtaradze securing the position after receiving 224 votes.
Tensions may escalate around the inauguration date of the new president, December 29, following Zourabichvili’s declaration that she will not step down.
U.S. sanctions have been imposed on 20 Georgian officials, including ministers and deputies, for undermining democracy, with some European states also implementing restrictive measures against several Georgian politicians.
