Salome Zourabichvili: “I am only legitimate President of Georgia”

During a discussion organized by the Hudson Institute, Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, declared herself the only legitimate president of the country. She criticized the ruling Georgian Dream party for attempting to portray the existence of a new president and accused the government of steering the nation away from its strategic partners.

“I am not a former president; I am the only legitimate president,” Zourabichvili stated. “Despite the ruling party’s attempts to create the impression that they have a new president, the legitimacy lies with me.”

Zourabichvili went on to highlight the lack of independent institutions in Georgia, emphasizing that her office remains the only truly independent body in the country. “We do not have an independent judiciary or institutions. We want a country that is not governed by a one-party system,” she added.

She also pointed to a concerning shift in Georgia’s foreign policy, stating, “This government has unexpectedly distanced itself from our strategic partners and turned towards Russia. Georgia needs to be in the global spotlight now more than ever.”

Zourabichvili praised Georgia’s active civil society, which she said distinguishes the country from Russia. “We have an engaged public that does not align with the ruling party’s agenda. The electoral fraud we experienced was part of Russia’s newly organized strategy,” she noted.

The discussion at the Hudson Institute underscored Zourabichvili’s continued critique of the Georgian Dream government and her call for democratic reforms and stronger ties with Western allies.