Georgian Political Crisis Escalates with Inauguration of New President

tbilisi - The political crisis in Georgia threatens to escalate further with the inauguration of the new president Micheil Kavelasjvili, while the incumbent president refuses to leave. Thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding new elections under international supervision.

Georgia has been gripped by large-scale pro-European protests since late October. The pro-Russian ruling party, Georgian Dream, was declared the winner of the parliamentary elections, but the opposition and Zoerabisjvili claimed fraud. This claim is supported by the United States and the European Union.

The protests intensified when the prime minister announced last month that the talks on joining the EU would be temporarily suspended.

The new prime minister Kavelasjvili, a former professional footballer who played for Manchester City, has emerged as an anti-Western and far-right politician in recent years. He is highly critical of LGBT rights and is viewed by protesters as a pro-Russian puppet of the government.

The inauguration, held behind closed doors in parliament for the first time, was boycotted by opposition parties. It remains unclear what will happen if Zoerabisjvili refuses to vacate the presidential palace. Protesters have vowed to defend her against any possible arrest.