International Reactions to Kavelashvili’s Election
On 14 December, the single-party Electoral College, which comprised of Georgian Dream MPs and local councilors, voted Mikheil Kavelashvili as president of Georgia. The move is set to deepen further the political crisis that has gripped the country since the October 26 Parliamentary elections. The opposition parties, civil society, and many Georgians considered the vote blatantly rigged. Still, the Georgian Dream installed a single-party rump parliament even before the vote’s legality was ruled upon. Going ahead with the presidential elections, despite the mass protests and in the context of brutal police repressions, is perceived as a move to subordinate the latest legitimate office – that of the President – to complete the single-party rule. Kavelashvili, an unlikely figure nominated by GD patron Bidzina Ivanishvili, ran unopposed without holding the campaign as the Constitution foresaw. President Salome Zurabishvili called this process a “travesty.” She refuses to leave office until the legitimately elected Parliament is elected.
Aleksandar Lukashenka, Ilham Aliyev, Nikol Pashinyan, and Aleksandar Vučić congratulated Mikheil Kavelashvili. Several Western politicians, including Joe Wilson, Marko Mihkelson, and Michael Roth, stated that Salome Zurabishvili remains Georgia’s legitimate president.
We have collected the international reactions to this election:
Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan: “Dear Mr. Kavelashvili. I sincerely congratulate you on your election as President of Georgia. Azerbaijan-Georgia relations stem from the will of our peoples, who have historically lived in conditions of friendship and good-neighborly relations and have always supported each other. We are pleased that our bilateral relations, built on such solid foundations and based on mutual respect and trust, are developing comprehensively and successfully today. I believe that we will make joint efforts to further strengthen and expand our interstate relations and strategic partnership for the sake of the well-being of our countries and peoples, ensuring the stability and security of our region and realizing its economic potential. I wish you good health, happiness, and success in your future responsible activities for the sake of the friendly people of Georgia.”
Aleksandar Lukashenka, President of Belarus: “Congratulations to Mikhail Kavelashvili on his election as President of Georgia. I am convinced that the resumption of fruitful and constructive interaction between our countries will contribute to further strengthening of the bilateral relations between Belarus and Georgia. I wish you good health, successful implementation of plans, and new achievements for the benefit of your fatherland.”
Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia: “I warmly congratulate Mikheil Kavelashvili on his election as President of Georgia. Armenia looks forward to strengthening our strategic partnership and advancing cooperation across all levels. Wishing him every success in this vital role!”
Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia: “I congratulate you on your election as President of Georgia with sincere wishes that you successfully and prudently fulfill the honorable and responsible duties ahead of you. I am confident that with your tireless commitment to the welfare of the citizens of Georgia, you will justify the trust placed in you. In times when the world is facing numerous, difficult, and complex challenges, it is of the utmost importance that leaders of all countries are committed to building peace and stability. On that path, you will have a reliable partner and friend in Serbia. I am confident that our countries will continue to develop friendly relations and that joint efforts for peace, stability, and cooperation will be a priority in our bilateral relations, which will also be strengthened by mutual support in the international political arena. I hope that your mandate will bring new opportunities for deepening cooperation between Serbia and Georgia in various areas. Therefore, I invite you to visit friendly Serbia, which would create additional momentum for strengthening our overall relations.”
Joe Wilson, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman: “Salome Zurabishvili remains the legitimate president of Georgia. I commend her bravery as she stands against the illegitimate government trying to foist a Russian puppet president on Georgians. There must be new elections!”
Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament: “The only legitimate President of Georgia is Zurabishvili.”
Michael Roth, Chair of Foreign Affairs Committees of the German Bundestag: “The “election“ of Mikheil Kavelishvili as the new President of Georgia is another step towards the „Gleichschaltung“ [takeover] of all constitutional institutions in Georgia. The ruling party deepens the division of Georgia, plans a coup and wants to destroy liberal democracy.”
Liberal International- ALDE, Joint Statement: “We continue to recognize the legitimately elected President Salome Zourabichvili and her achievements, in accordance with Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution, towards ensuring the full integration of Georgia into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.”
More to Follow…
- 14/12/2024 – Liveblog: Resistance
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)