Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said she does not intend to appear for questioning at the Prosecutor’s Office amid opposition claims of fraud in the parliamentary vote. She spoke at a briefing, stressing that the burden should fall on investigators to prove any wrongdoing rather than on the president to supply evidence herself.
She added that prosecutors appear to expect her to present evidence of fraud, whereas the proper process should compel investigators to establish any misconduct. In clear terms, she urged the prosecutor’s office to stay out of the matter and suggested that the president not be drawn into prosecutorial tasks beyond his remit.
Today a corruption inquiry into the parliamentary elections was opened and the president was summoned to answer questions. The case followed a formal objection from the Central Election Commission dated October 30, and Zurabishvili was slated to appear before investigators on October 31. The commission stated that the president should present evidence of potential fraud.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze commented that if the president and other opposition figures do not attend questioning about possible electoral corruption, it would be interpreted as confirmation that the charges lack foundation.
Zurabishvili has also claimed that Western governments have been pressuring the ruling party to revisit the parliamentary vote, a claim that has drawn sharp responses from opponents and international observers alike.
Georgia held parliamentary elections on October 26, with roughly twenty parties contesting the 150-seat parliament. The ruling Georgian Dream party, in power for twelve years, secured about 54 percent of the vote. A number of parties called for a boycott of parliament, while the opposition Coalition for Change refused to accept parliamentary powers and state funding, intensifying the political stalemate and raising questions about the fairness of the process.
Earlier, the United States president signaled dissatisfaction with the conduct of the elections in Georgia, underscoring ongoing international concern about the electoral process and its consequences for regional stability.