Georgia’s newly elected parliament opens its first session with opposition boycotting

Associated Press

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — The newly elected Georgian parliament has opened its inaugural session as opposition lawmakers and the country’s president stayed away and thousands of protesters rallied outside under a heavy police presence. They accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of rigging the vote under Russian influence. The Oct. 26 election that kept Georgian Dream in power was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s effort to join the European Union. Opposition parties refused to participate in Monday’s parliamentary activities. President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official results and refused to recognize the parliament’s legitimacy, also boycotted the opening session.