Georgian president not planning to resign over differences with executive branch

TBILISI. Feb 6 (Interfax) - Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has denied plans to resign over the negative attitude of the incumbent government, formed by the Georgian Dream ruling party, towards her.

"Perhaps someone hopes that insults and mistreatment will break me or force me to renounce the presidential oath and the constitution. None of that will succeed," Zourabichvili said in an annual report to parliament on Tuesday.

She proposed that the opposition and the authorities begin consultations on Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration at the presidential administration.

"We will be unable to achieve the historic goal, the entry into the European Union, without consolidating all political forces. My role will be invariable on this path, I will guard independence and democracy in Georgia," Zourabichvili said.

Earlier, she accused the executive branch of trying to alter the Euro-Atlantic course of Georgia.

The head of the Georgian Dream ruling party's parliament faction Mamuka Mdinaradze criticized Zourabichvili's report and described it as a speech by a rank-and-file radical opposition member.

"The president's speech did not say a word about national achievements, although such achievements of Georgia are noted by esteemed international organizations. It was a speech by a rank-and-file opposition member seeking to head an opposition party," Mdinaradze said in parliament.

He did not rule out that Zourabichvili, whose presidential term ends at the end of this year, might pardon incarcerated former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The differences between Georgian Dream and Zourabichvili began last year, when the president accused the ruling party and the executive branch of changing Georgia's policy from Euro-Atlantic integration to rapprochement with Russia.

Georgian Dream unsuccessfully tried to initiate Zourabichvili's impeachment in October 2023. The party accused her of exceeding presidential authority.