In an ongoing political standoff, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has once again declared her refusal to step down at the end of her term on December 29, despite the election of Mikhail Kavelashvili as her successor.

Zurabishvili, speaking in an interview with the Swiss newspaper "Temps," confirmed her stance, stating: "Yes, nothing has changed." She insists that the parliament which elected Kavelashvili is illegitimate, thereby questioning the validity of the presidential election itself. "With an illegitimate parliament, there can be no legitimate presidential elections," she argued, positioning herself as the only legitimate government representative.

The recent Georgian presidential election, held on December 14, saw Mikhail Kavelashvili, the candidate from the ruling Georgian Dream party, secure the presidency with 224 out of 300 votes, surpassing the necessary threshold of 200 votes as reported by the Central Election Commission (CEC).

In contrast, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed confidence that Zurabishvili would vacate the presidential office on the scheduled date. However, Zurabishvili has called for new parliamentary elections and urged the European Union to back the ongoing protests in Georgia, which are demanding a reevaluation of the electoral process and government legitimacy.

The political tension in Georgia continues to escalate as the deadline approaches, raising questions about the country's political stability and its adherence to constitutional norms. (ILKHA)