Germany, France and Poland condemn violence in Georgia

Georgian President-elect Mikheil Kavelashvili speaks at his swearing-in ceremony at the Georgian Parliament. Picture: Irakli Gedenidze/AP

Foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland have expressed concern about “the political crisis” in Georgia, two days after former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili was formally inaugurated as president of the South Caucasus nation.

The inauguration cemented the ruling party’s grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s European Union aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia.