George Wright & Sofia Ferreira Santos
BBC News
Reuters/EPA
Mikheil Kavelashvili (left) was sworn in as Georgia’s president on Sunday. Outgoing president Salome Zourabichvili (right) has refused to recognise his appointment
Thousands of Georgians protested in the capital Tbilisi as a new president allied with the ruling Georgian Dream party was inaugurated.
Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former pro-footballer, has been sworn in during a critical political period for the country after the government suspended its application to join the European Union.
Georgian Dream won parliamentary elections in October, but the victory was mired in allegations of fraud which have since sparked several street protests.
Outgoing president Salome Zourabichvili refused to step down on Sunday, saying she was the “only legitimate president”.
Reuters
Protesters hung on Zourabichvili’s words outside the palace
Addressing crowds gathered outside, Zourabichvili said she would leave the presidential palace but branded her successor illegitimate.
“This building was a symbol only as long as a legitimate president was sitting here,” she said.
A few minutes’ walk away, Kavelashvili was sworn in at a closed-doors ceremony in parliament, where he was accompanied by his family. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also attended the inauguration.
Speaking after taki
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