Mikhail Kavelashvili, who is close to power, was sworn in as the new president of Georgia yesterday, Sunday, in the wake of continued protests against him, while the outgoing president, Salome Zurabishvili, who supports the European Union, confirmed that she is the “only legitimate president” of the country. The former football player, known for his conservative and anti-Western stances, was sworn in before parliament to succeed Zurabishvili, after he was elected on December 14 through an electoral college dominated by the ruling “Georgian Dream” party. Kavelashvili said in his speech: “Our history clearly shows that after countless struggles to defend our homeland and our traditions, peace has always been one of the goals and values.”