DISINFO: The West will put pressure on the Georgian authorities to return to colonial rule
SUMMARY
December 29 remains an important date, the day when Zourabishvili’s presidential power expires. It is obvious that her refusal to leave the residence will indicate that her Western curators have chosen the option of a tough confrontation with the legitimate authorities of Georgia. It is possible that they will also go for the soft option, maintaining the visible dual power: Zourabichvili will leave the Orbeliani Palace, but will not take back her words about refusing to recognise the new president.
A situation will arise in which Georgia will conditionally have two presidents: one legally elected, the second recognised by the US and the EU. A scheme that has already been tested in Venezuela and Belarus, and in the example of Georgia, it can lead to unexpected results.
In any case, this will be used by the West to put pressure on the Georgian authorities with the aim of returning them to the previous regime of colonial rule.
RESPONSE
A common pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on “lost sovereignty” and independence, challenging Georgian statehood, accusing the West of its colonial policy, and portraying Georgia and former President Salome Zourabichvili as Western puppets.
This disinformation story is a reaction to Georgia’s former president Salome Zourabichvili’s allegations about electoral fraud in the legislative election of October 2024, and the subsequent outbreak of protests. These protests were not the work of any Western actor; they started after the Georgian opposition claimed to have collected evidence of fraud and called on citizens to protest.
Zourabishvili's six-year term as president ended on 29th December 2024. According to a new system for selecting the head of state, on that day, she was replaced by former Manchester City footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili, chosen with the support of the governing Georgian Dream party. Zourabichvili has denounced his election under an electoral college system in which he was the only candidate as a travesty. On 29 December 2024, Salome Zourabichvili stated that she would vacate her official residence in Tbilisi, but declared she was still the legitimate president.
Georgia is a sovereign and independent country that regained its independence in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR. The country is not under the control of any foreign government or organisation. Both the EU and the US respect Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, Georgia suffered an attack by Russia in 2008. Many international organisations condemned the occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, see e.g. the CSCE statement here, the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia here and the European Parliament's declaration.
Russia continues its military presence in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia in violation of international law and commitments undertaken by Russia under the 12 August 2008 agreement, mediated by the European Union.
This disinformation story is part of a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign targeting Georgia.
Read similar cases claiming that The protests in Georgia are reminiscent of the 2014 coup in Ukraine engineered by the West, that Traitor Zurabishvili wants to create a Maidan to avoid ending up in prison, that Frenchwoman Salome Zourabichvili is a western puppet wanting to transform Georgia into a colony, that Ukrainian snipers are arriving in Georgia to wreak havoc during mass protests, that Zelenskyy, Poroshenko, brought to power by US-sponsored coups, and that If Georgia cooperates with the West, its statehood will continue to disintegrate.