Parliament Speaker: “Neither Georgian Dream nor its voters will concede their votes to anyone”

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili emphasized that Georgian Dream and its supporters have no intention of giving up their mandate to govern, calling on all political actors to respect the decision of over 1.1 million voters who entrusted the party with leadership.

Speaking on Rustavi 2, Papuashvili reminded political stakeholders of the October 26 elections, where over two million citizens participated, and 1,120,000 votes were cast for the ruling Georgian Dream.

“No one should ignore the voices of 1,120,000 citizens. Neither we, as Georgian Dream, nor our voters are willing to relinquish their mandate. Everyone engaged in absurd plans should take this into consideration,” said Papuashvili.

The Speaker also responded to recent statements by President Salome Zourabichvili, criticizing her approach to governance.

“Regarding Ms. Zourabichvili, I previously referred to her as adopting a Louis XIV-style approach to the state. She essentially implies that the state revolves around her, along with its symbols and institutions,” Papuashvili stated.

Looking ahead to December 29, Papuashvili expressed confidence that Zourabichvili would vacate the presidential residence following the inauguration of the new president.

“I firmly believe that on December 29, when the inauguration takes place, the new president will assume office and occupy the presidential administration as mandated by our constitution and the will of the people,” he concluded.

Papuashvili dismissed the notion that Zourabichvili would remain in the residence, calling such a move legally baseless and counterproductive. He also warned against jeopardizing the integrity of the presidential administration staff by involving them in such actions.