The chairman of the For Georgia party, former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, has responded to the initiative allowing President Salome Zourabichvili and opposition members to remain in the Orbeliani Palace after December 29. He stated that reducing the protest to merely vacating the building before staying there would undermine its value.
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According to Gakharia, the president's legitimacy is not determined by symbols, let alone a building.
“The source of legitimacy is the trust of the people. Reducing the protest to leaving the building and staying there, or the idea of physically protecting the residence, devalues the protest. The people defend much greater and more important values than Rustaveli. That is why the protest was successful.
We must focus on the people, the belief in victory, and the unity around the goals and values of the protest. Only in this way will the protest become truly inclusive.
Unconditionally release all illegally detained political hostages! Announce a specific date for new elections in a timely manner!” Gakharia wrote on Facebook.
On December 25, after meeting with the president at the Orbeliani Palace, one of the leaders of the opposition coalition Strong Georgia, Ana Dolidze, stated that the parties are ready to remain in the palace after December 29 and declare it “the only place where the legitimate president of Georgia will be.” President Salome Zourabichvili’s position on this matter is still unknown.
Illegal Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze is threatening Salome Zourabichvili with arrest. At a briefing on December 22, he said it would be a criminal offense if Zourabichvili remained in the presidential residence after December 29.
“I believe she still has the wisdom to neither violate the Criminal Code herself nor force anyone else to break laws that would lead to long-term imprisonment,” Kobakhidze said.
On Sunday, December 29, the illegitimate parliament is scheduled to inaugurate Mikheil Kavelashvili as president. Salome Zourabichvili and the opposition parties that overcame barriers in the parliamentary elections do not recognize Kavelashvili’s legitimacy. As Zourabichvili stated, his “mandate continues until there is a legitimately elected parliament” to elect the sixth president.
