"Do not believe it, it’s all a provocation": Zurabishvili

The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, has labeled reports regarding Georgian mercenaries allegedly preparing to join protesters in Tbilisi as provocations.

“I have received various messages claiming that Georgian soldiers have arrived from Ukraine and are preparing to join this protest as military personnel. This is simply a provocation; do not believe it, as this protest is most concerning for the ruling party,” Zurabishvili stated during a press briefing.

She emphasized that the protests will continue to be self-organized, without involvement from political parties or even her intervention. Additionally, Zurabishvili believes it is necessary for civil society and public organizations to “influence the Constitutional Court,” located in Batumi, to compel it to initiate an investigation regarding her petition.

According to Zurabishvili, the recent parliamentary elections were not legitimate.

It is noteworthy that a new wave of opposition protests in Georgia began on Thursday after Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced the decision to suspend discussions about the start of negotiations for the country’s EU membership until 2028.