Salome Zurabishvili officially becomes the fifth president of Georgia
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After taking the presidential oath in the historic castle of Telavi, Salome Zurabishvili has been sworn in as the fifth and first ever female president of Georgia.
She will hold office for a six-year term.
The inauguration ceremony of the fifth president of Georgia was attended by 150 high-ranking guests from 55 countries including the former president of France Nicolas Sarkozy. Photo: Georgia's Foreign Ministry press office.
In her oath, President Zurabishvili promised to defend the Georgian constitution, independence and unity, provide for the security of the Georgian people and the prosperity of the entire country.
I take responsibility to be the president of each citizen of Georgia. I appreciate those who did not vote for me. I am also aware some parties have a different position towards the recognition of my presidency.
I will defend the freedom and rights of the citizens, I will be the guarantor of the rule of law. I will be sure to strengthen civil society and improve the political culture.
Now, when I am the fifth president of Georgia, I am proud that we have managed to carry out the transfer process peacefully. One more democratic step has been made,” Salome Zurabishvili said at the ceremony which was attended by 150 high level guests from 55 countries.
In her speech Salome Zurabishvili has emphasised that every former president has made their contribution to the advancement process of the country.
She has also pledged to do all for Georgia's development and help the country achieve its major goals including Euro-Atlantic integration.
Georgia is facing a great challenge now - Abkhazia and South Ossetia are occupied by Russia. There is the occupation line inside the country where our citizens are being kidnapped. This is not acceptable for a sovereign state. We are not going to tolerate this,” President Zurabishvili said.
My congratulations to #Georgia’s first democratically elected woman President @Zourabichvili_S on her inauguration day! I wish her every success in the important endeavors that lie ahead of our country!
— Mamuka Bakhtadze (@BakhtadzeMamuka) December 16, 2018
The inauguration ceremony was hosted at a site of historical residence of Georgian kings in Telavi. Photo: David Tabagari.
A number of new regulations, including constitutional amendments, also came into force today.
The constitutional reform carried out in 2017 introduces a new model of government which is characteristic for a parliamentary republic, meaning that the next president will not be elected directly by the people.
The new president after Zurabishvili will be elected for a five-year term by a special 300-member council starting in 2024.
Georgian President-elect Salome Zurabishvili had told the international media that Russia has to be held accountable for its aggression in Georgia and Ukraine.
The US government is looking forward to working with Georgian President-elect Salome Zurabishvili, Robert Palladino, deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State said yesterday.
Georgia’s newly elected president Salome Zurabishvili is going to relocate the presidential residence from the Presidential Palace in Tbilisi's Avlabari district to an alternative location on Atoneli Street.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has sent a congratulatory message to president-elect Salome Zurabishvili, whose inauguration ceremony which will be held in Telavi today.
President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian came to Georgia today to attend the inauguration ceremony of the fifth president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, where he expressed readiness to cooperate with her and her administration.
Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia has thanked the police for showing restraint when dealing with opposition activists yesterday on inauguration day.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has detained a member of the United National Movement opposition, former state official David Kirkitadze for verbally and physically abusing the police and damage of property during the clash between law enforcers and opposition activists on the presidential inauguration day.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili walked to the Atoneli Palace in central Tbilisi today on her first working day and told journalists that “I am very happy to be here.”
A cordon made by policewomen during a noisy trial of opposition member David Kirkitadze in the Gurjaani court in eastern Georgia has stirred more controversies that the trial itself.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has nominated some of her advisors today and stated that the team is expected to grow in the future.
The Georgian presidential administration is undergoing a staff restructuring, which will cut the number of employees within the body to 60.
Recently elected President Salome Zurabishvili has held her first meeting with the media, during which she spoke about her foreign policy priorities and answered journalists’ questions on the most controversial domestic or international issues.
Newly elected Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has met with Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze on their first working meeting today.
The Presidential Palace in Avlabari, built on the order of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, might be the building of the National Museum of Georgian culture in the future. The Georgian Dream ruling party members have discussed the possible versions at the meeting.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili will visit France on 17-19 February and meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the president’s press office has reported.
Gurjaani Court has upheld the detention of United National Movement member David Kirkitadze which was followed by protests and uproar in the courtroom.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan within the framework of her official visit to Armenian Republic.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that the Avlabari Presidential Palace built under the United National Movement government, will be used for official, high level ceremonies, exhibitions and public events.
The Head of the Presidential Administration Lasha Zhvania announced that he will resign from the position on May 1. Zhvania was appointed as the head of President Salome Zurabishvili’s administration after her victory in last year’s presidential elections.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has been gifted a series of historic letters exchanged between Foreign Minister of the First Democratic Republic Republic of Georgia Akaki Chkhenkeli and Sir Eric Drummond, first secretary-general of the League of Nations, which took place before the Soviet Union occupied Georgia in 1921.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has joined the Commission for Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency of the International Energy Agency (IEA) – a global platform studying how to quickly speed up energy efficiency progress through new and stronger policy action.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has participated at the 5th Global Energy Efficiency Conference in Paris, France, where she spoke about developments in the energy sector both at home and across the globe.