Georgia Inaugurates Pro-Russia President Despite Election Fraud

Mikheil Kavelashvili was sworn in as Georgia’s president on Sunday, despite evidence that the victory of his pro-Russia party was rigged by pro-Russia forces.

Fraudulent: In October’s parliamentary elections, the ruling pro-Russia Georgian Dream party claimed to have won 54 percent of the vote.

• After the election, evidence proved that voters double-voted or were threatened or bribed by Russian agents.
• As a result of this rigging, pro-Europe opposition parties boycotted parliament and refused to put forward candidates to run against Kavelashvili.
• So Kavelashvili was the only candidate standing in the December 28 presidential vote, which was decided by a 300-seat electoral college instead of by the Georgian people.

Protest: When the results were published, Georgia’s outgoing president, Salome Zourabichvili, refused to move aside. She said the election was a “constitutional coup” by Georgian Dream and a “Russian special operation.” She called on the country to protest.

For weeks now, thousands of Georgians have been gathering to protest Georgian Dream’s election rigging and Kavelashvili’s election.

Nevertheless, Kavelashvili was inaugurated behind closed doors in Georgia’s parliament on Sunday as angry Georgians protested outside.

Zourabichvili tried refusing to leave the presidential palace, but Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze threatened her with imprisonment.

I remain the only legitimate president. I will leave the presidential palace and stand with you, carrying with me the legitimacy, the flag and your trust.
—Salome Zourabichvili

Russia’s realm: Georgia was once part of Russia’s Soviet empire, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has long been working to resurrect.

To learn more about how Russia stole Georgia’s election, read “Georgia’s Election: Rigged by Russia.”