Georgian President Zourabichvili plans to stay in office until her mandate ends in fall 2024

TBILISI. March 7 (Interfax) - Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has said at a meeting with Georgian journalists that she will continue to fulfill her duties until her term in office expires in fall of this year.

"If I am needed in politics, I will stay in it. One thing that is clear is that I will reach the end of my presidential mandate," Zourabichvili said on Wednesday.

Zourabichvili believes that her role as president is particularly important today to consolidate Georgia's pro-European forces.

Commenting on the possibility of pardoning former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Zourabichvili said that the European Parliament and other organizations are putting certain pressure on her in this matter.

"Pardoning Mikheil Saakashvili is my presidential right, and no one must intervene in this issue," she said.

There is also a need to introduce a multiparty governance system in Georgia, she said.

"Since gaining independence, we have lived with a one-party governance system one way or another, but it's time to put an end to it if we want to shift to the format of a European state," Zourabichvili said.

Asked about the prospect of introducing visas for Russian citizens or restricting air travel between the two countries, Zourabichvili said that taking such measures today could be viewed as a confrontational step and could be dangerous for Georgia.