Zurabishvili makes first statement on Georgian election results
Georgia's incumbent President Salome Zurabishvili on December 14 spoke out about the elections held in the country, saying that no one elected anyone.
"No one chose anyone. Nothing happened," Mtavari TV channel quoted her as saying.
The Georgian leader expressed gratitude to all those present outside the Orbeliani Palace in Tbilisi and noted that she would "defend the citizens and the future of the country to the end."
Earlier it was reported that the presidential candidate from the Georgian Dream party Mikhail Kavelashvili won the necessary 200 votes in the presidential election.
Presidential elections in the republic started earlier in the day. For the first time in Georgia's history, the electoral college, rather than citizens, voted for a candidate for the post of head of state. The session began at 9:00 (8:00 Moscow time) and lasted until 14:00 (13:00 Moscow time). The collegium consists of 300 people, 211 of whom are members of the Georgian Dream.
On December 13, Zurabishvili said she would not leave the presidential palace after December 29, when her term of office expires. Opposition supporters also rallied outside parliament that day.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin pointed out that Georgia's leadership is trying to protect the country's national interests and this policy is causing "heartburn" for the United States and European Union (EU) countries. The deputy minister believes that the West will not stop its attacks on the republic and will impose new sanctions on Tbilisi.
There are protests in Georgia over the suspension of negotiations on European integration and the opposition's disagreement with the results of parliamentary elections. Protesters tried to set fire to the Georgian parliament building and damaged dozens of offices, while law enforcement agencies had to use tear gas.
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