On Sunday evening, during a rally on Rustaveli Avenue, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, speaking to some 200,000 demonstrators, reaffirmed her commitment to resolving the current political situation through dialogue, despite the disturbances.
“I remain loyal to the country and to the Constitution before which I took the oath six years ago,” Zurabishvili stated.
The President also touched on other topics and called on Bidzina Ivanishvili, Honorary Chairman of the Georgian Dream, to meet with her at the President’s Palace to schedule new elections.
“I need to sit down and discuss with him how to schedule elections. The date must be agreed upon by December 29,” Zurabishvili declared.
“Everything is simple here. The elections were not held, and not only were the elections not held, but they are also not recognized by anyone. If these elections are not recognized, and if there is an illegitimate, unconstitutional government, then we are in a deep crisis. The only way to resolve this crisis, in every democratic country that seeks to address a deep crisis through political means, is new elections.
Therefore, I, who am here and will remain here, invite Ivanishvili, I invite his party… Kobakhidze, Papuashvili, and anyone else you wish. I invite the parties that participated in the elections, as well as the organizations that monitored them. Come to the Orbeliani Palace. Come, and let’s talk. But there is only one thing to discuss—when and how to hold the elections. There is little time for this negotiation. […] Whoever wants everything to end well in this country, come to the palace. This invitation also applies to Ivanishvili, because he manages everything. I am ready for us to sit down and discuss how to schedule the elections, but the date for scheduling them must be agreed upon by the 29th. By the 29th, we all have a great chance to move this country forward, so that it can become an example of democracy, reconciliation, and progress throughout the world. I am waiting for an answer. To make all of this clear, I will release a full speech from the presidential palace tomorrow evening. We will meet, and I am waiting for you,” Zurabishvili said.
the President faced technical difficulties when her microphone cut off mid-speech, forcing her to continue speaking via a megaphone. At the same time, several TV stations faced difficulties catching the feed.
