Georgian PM says President’s refusal to leave presidential palace will constitute “criminal offence”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday said the outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili's refusal to leave the presidential palace following the inauguration of the President-elect Mikheil Kavelashvili, scheduled for Sunday, would constitute a “criminal offence”.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze expressed “belief” that  Zourabichvili would “make a reasonable, pragmatic decision”, as the President’s series of confrontations against Government policies, and her rejection of results of the general elections held in October, continued.

The main reason I think so is that refusing to leave the palace would mean committing a criminal offence, which entails many years of imprisonment not only for Salome Zourabichvili herself, but also for anyone who will be involved in this”, the PM claimed.

“The only scenario where Zourabichvili would be doing this is if she has been very strictly instructed to stay in the palace - otherwise I do not see it realistic for a 72-year-old woman to be sacrificing herself for prison time”, he noted.

The PM alleged while Zourabichvili may “sacrifice herself for her patrons”, she would “also have to sacrifice about 100-150 people” who could take the stand with her at the residence.

Kobakhidze on Sunday said he expected Zourabichvili would “still have the sense not to breach the criminal code” of the country and “not lead others to violating the norms that entail long-term imprisonment” in her possible refusal to leave the presidential palace.