Georgia’s fifth President Zourabichvili claims Government is collapsing

Georgia’s fifth President, Salome Zourabichvili, has claimed that the Georgian Dream Government is collapsing, attributing the deepening political crisis to internal divisions and resistance within state institutions. She emphasized that new elections were the only solution to the ongoing crisis.

“There is no alternative to elections,” Zourabichvili said amid protests against the Government’s decision late last year to halt EU integration until 2028, arguing that no government could continue to rule against the will of the people in such a profound crisis. “The government is already collapsing,” she added, pointing to significant issues within the police force, which she said was struggling to follow instructions from a “criminal vertical” rather than a lawful institutional structure.

Zourabichvili outlined two potential paths for the ruling Georgian Dream party. The first option, she said, is to recognize the reality of the situation, listen to public demands, and organize new elections in line with recommendations from domestic and international bodies. A document addressing this process is expected to be finalized in the coming days.

The second, more difficult option would involve the ruling party continuing to resist change, leading to its eventual disintegration. “If the ruling party fails to heed the demands of the people and its partners, this will be the inevitable outcome,” Zourabichvili said.

Zourabichvili also expressed her solidarity with the ongoing protests, both in Tbilisi and in other regions of Georgia. “The struggle continues, and its main component is the people standing on the streets. I join them as much as I can,” she added.