President Zourabichvili refuses to reveal plans ahead of Kavelashvili’s inauguration

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has refused to comment on her plans following the inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili, scheduled for Sunday.

In an interview with the British podcast The Rest Is Politics on December 27, she said, “That’s the one question I won’t answer,” adding that her plans would be disclosed on the day of the event, particularly to the ruling party.

Zourabichvili, whose term officially ends on December 29, reaffirmed her stance that the inauguration of Kavelashvili, elected in an indirect vote that she deems illegitimate, is invalid.

“I remain president and continue to do my job,” she declared. The legitimacy of Kavelashvili’s election, which took place on December 14, 2024, has been disputed by Zourabichvili and many legal experts, who argue it was a flawed process orchestrated by the Georgian Dream party.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze responded to the president’s defiance, warning that forcing her out of the presidential residence would create a “very bad picture.” Kobakhidze clarified that his earlier comments, which hinted at such a scenario, were intended as “prevention,” not a threat. “Any government should be oriented not towards repression, but towards crime prevention,” he added, hoping that Zourabichvili would act “reasonably” in the face of mounting tensions.

In a recent statement, the President denounced Kavelashvili’s election as a “provocation” and a “parody,” reinforcing her position that she remains the legitimate president of Georgia despite the formal inauguration of a new leader.