Thousands protest in Georgia ahead of disputed presidential inauguration

ANKARA

Thousands of Georgians took to the streets Saturday in Tbilisi, forming a human chain to protest the impending inauguration of President Mikheil Kavelashvili, whom critics see as aligned with the ruling Georgian Dream party, media reports said Sunday.

The protests follow allegations of fraud in the October parliamentary elections, which Georgian Dream claimed to have won, according to the BBC.

Kavelashvili is set to be inaugurated later Sunday.

The opposition has rejected Kavelashvili's presidency, with four main opposition groups boycotting parliament.

Current President Salome Zourabichvili has refused to step down, calling the election "illegitimate" and a "Russian special operation."

Protesters waved Georgian and EU flags, expressing discontent with the government’s increasing authoritarianism and its perceived alignment with Russia.

The government has faced criticism for passing laws that target media and non-governmental organizations, refusing to sanction Russia after its “special military operation” in Ukraine, and delaying EU accession talks until 2028.

The announcement of the delay in November sparked widespread protests, with riot police deploying tear gas and water cannons against demonstrators.

The US recently imposed sanctions on Georgian Dream’s founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, further intensifying the political tension.

As Zourabichvili vows to remain in office, the government warned that her refusal to leave would constitute a criminal act, leaving the political crisis unresolved.