Georgia to inaugurate disputed president amid political crisis

TBILISI: Georgia is gearing up for Sunday´s inauguration of a ruling party loyalist as president, after his election was declared “illegitimate” by the outgoing leader and the pro-Western opposition.

Mikheil Kavelashvili´s inauguration is expected to further escalate the political crisis which has seen mass pro-EU demonstrations.

The Black Sea nation has been in turmoil since October´s disputed parliamentary elections and the government´s decision to shelve European Union accession talks.

On December 14, an electoral college controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party installed the far-right former footballer as the country´s next figurehead leader.

But outgoing President Salome Zurabishvili, whose mandate ends with the new leader´s inauguration, has refused to step down until the government announces fresh parliamentary elections.

For the first time in Georgia´s history, the swearing-in ceremony will take place behind closed doors in parliament.

Opposition parties have refused to enter the newly elected parliament, while Zurabishvili has declared the legislature, the government, and president-elect “illegitimate”.