“We are not afraid”: the president of Georgia responded to the threats of her arrest by the head of the government

Prime Minister of Georgia Iraklii Kobakhidze threatened the president of the country with prison if she does not leave her post. For her part, Salome Zurabishvili responded to his threats.

“We are not afraid,” Zurabishvili said, according to “Echo Kavkaza”, a Russian-language project of the Georgian service of RFE/RL.

She said this while addressing protesters in Tbilisi, whom she supports and who are demanding re-elections in the country. She added that she “remains loyal to the country and the Constitution, before which she took an oath 6 years ago.”

“I will be loyal to the Georgian army and the veterans who came here today. I am and will be its supreme commander. I am and will be loyal to these people standing here, but not only to these people. I am and will be the president for everyone,” the head of state said.

In addition, Zurabishvili again insists on the necessity of almost calling new parliamentary elections. She declares that “the date of the vote must be agreed upon by December 29.” That is, until the day when her presidential term ends.

At the end of October, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia, where numerous falsifications were recorded. According to the results of these elections, the pro-Russian party “Georgian Dream” won, although forecasts and opinion polls spoke of the superiority of the opposition forces. In addition, the ruling party suspended negotiations on the country’s European integration. This caused protests.

On December 14, the electoral college elected the new president of Georgia. He became the former football player Mykhailo Kavelashvili and he was the only candidate for the position of head of state nominated by “Georgian Dream”.

Zurabishvili’s presidential term expires on December 29, but she, like the protesters, does not recognize the election results. In this regard, Georgian Prime Minister Kobakhidze threatened her with prison in case of disobedience.

Protests have been ongoing in Georgia since November 28. They began after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the suspension of negotiations on joining the EU until 2028.