Lithuania ready to grant asylum to Georgian President Zourabichvili amid political crisis

The Lithuanian government has expressed its willingness to grant political asylum to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, should she require it.

This announcement was made by Asta Skaisgiritė-Liauskienė, advisor to the President of Lithuania, against the backdrop of escalating unrest in Georgia following contested parliamentary election results, Caliber.Az reports.

"Lithuania will grant asylum to the president of Georgia if there is a need for it," Skaisgiritė-Liauskienė stated.

Protests rock Georgia

The political crisis in Georgia erupted after the late October parliamentary elections, where the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory. Opposition groups rejected the results, sparking protests that intensified in late November. Demonstrators set fire to the parliament building and clashed with police officers in violent confrontations.

Zourabichvili has openly supported the protesters, refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the newly elected parliament and government.

Sanctions from Lithuania and Canada

Lithuania has taken further steps by imposing targeted sanctions against key Georgian officials. Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's Foreign Minister, shared a list of sanctioned individuals on social media platform X, accusing them of human rights violations. The list includes Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of Georgian Dream, Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, and heads of Georgian security agencies. Notably, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was not among those sanctioned.

Canada has also announced sanctions against individuals and entities involved in human rights abuses and corruption in Georgia. At a joint press conference with Baltic state foreign ministers, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly affirmed Canada's support for the Georgian people. She expressed concern over Russia's narrative framing the protests as a potential "Maidan" and stated, "We will impose sanctions on key individuals as well as business organisations involved in human rights abuses or corruption based on our sanctions regime."

Nationwide protests escalate

Pro-European demonstrators in Georgia have protested for five consecutive days, decrying the government’s decision to pivot away from European integration. On December 2, police in Tbilisi employed tear gas, water cannons, and smoke grenades against protesters, who had constructed barricades on Rustaveli Avenue. Violent clashes were reported as protesters used pyrotechnics and hit the parliament's iron fence.

The protests have spread beyond Tbilisi to cities like Batumi, Kobuleti, and Ozurgeti, with tens of thousands participating. The Interior Ministry reported that 224 individuals were detained during the first four days of unrest.

The situation remains tense as international attention turns to Georgia’s political crisis and its potential ramifications for regional stability.

By Tamilla Hasanova