TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — The governing party in Georgia on Wednesday picked a former soccer player as its candidate for president following a disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election that has sparked protests and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.

The Georgian Dream party nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year old former national team and Premier League player, for the mostly ceremonial presidential post. He is all but certain to win the Dec. 14 vote by the electoral college controlled by the ruling party.

Georgian Dream retained control of the parliament in the Oct. 26 election that was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s effort to join the European Union. The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit, and declared a boycott of parliament.

European election observers said the balloting took place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official results and refused to recognize the parliament’s legitimacy, on Monday snubbed the parliament’s opening session along with opposition parties.

Zourabichvili, whose six-year term expires next month, was elected by popular vote, but Georgia has approved constitutional changes that abolished the direct election of the president and replaced it with a vote by a 300-seat electoral college consisting of members of parliament, municipal councils and regional legislatures.

Georgian Dream has a majority in the college, making the approval of Kavelashvili’s candidacy all but certain.

Critics have accused Georgian Dream — established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia — of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.

The EU suspended Georgia’s membership application process indefinitely in June after parliament passed a law requiring organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “pursuing the interest of a foreign power,” similar to a Russian law used to discredit organizations critical of the government. Kavelashvili was one of the bill’s authors.

On Wednesday, Ivanishvili presented Kavelashvili’s candidacy to parliament, describing him as “one of the most prominent members of our political team” and praising his “significant contribution to protecting Georgia’s national interests and strengthening the country’s sovereignty.”

Kavelashvili was a striker in the Premier League for Manchester City and in several clubs in the Swiss Super League. He was elected to parliament in 2016 on the Georgian Dream ticket. In 2022, he co-founded the People’s Power political movement, which has become known for its strong anti-Western rhetoric.

“Our society is divided,” Kavelashvili said in parliament, charging that “radicalization and polarization” in the country has been fueled from abroad. He accused Zourabichvili of violating the constitution and declared that he will “restore the presidency to its constitutional framework.”

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In light of the recent National Utility Scam Awareness Day, Georgia Power is highlighting scams that are targeting customers around the state. With evolving technology, scam attempts have become more digital and mobile-based though traditional telephone scams are still prevalent as well.

Customers are encouraged to report scams at www.GeorgiaPower.com/ReportAScam.   

Tech SCAM – Georgia Power Payment Through Cash App

The company continues to hear of scammers requesting funds from customers via mobile and online means like Cash App, asking customers to pay an account that “looks like” Georgia Power, including illegal use of the company’s logo. Georgia Power does not accept payments via Cash App. Valid Georgia Power payment options include Venmo, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal – learn more here. 

Tech SCAM – Fake Digital Ads

Georgia Power is receiving reports of digital ads on Google and other platforms that direct customers to non-company websites to pay their bills, which then request personal or financial information. Customers should always ensure that the webpage is the official Georgia Power website, with correct spelling: www.GeorgiaPower.com. Don’t be fooled by ads that lead to fake websites.  

Georgia Power works every day to combat new and existing scams and continues to partner with law enforcement and other agencies in supporting their efforts to identify and prosecute criminals who pose as Georgia Power employees to defraud customers. The company reminds customers of the following additional tips and guidelines to avoid becoming a victim of a scammer: 

Georgia Power:  

• Does not call to ask a customer to provide a credit card or pre-paid debit card number over the phone.  

• Does not accept cryptocurrency as a payment option. Scammers often demand Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, or demand use of money transfer apps for immediate payments.  

• Does not call customers to set up automatic payments, to “update” credit cards or other sensitive account information or to ask customers to “pay for a new meter.”  

• The company also does not send employees into the field to collect payment in person or to pay anywhere other than an Authorized Payment Location (APL).  

Tips to #StopScams:  

• If a customer receives a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from Georgia Power and demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnection, the customer should hang up and log-on to their account at www.GeorgiaPower.com to confirm the status of their account. 

• As scammers have tried to promote the use of fraudulent 800 numbers, customers should direct-dial the company’s customer service line using the number on their bill (888-660-5890), which can be verified at www.GeorgiaPower.com/ContactUs. Do not trust “Caller ID” identifications. 

• Delete all emails that demand immediate payment or personal information or that are from a company that is not Georgia Power. 

• If an account becomes past due, Georgia Power will contact the customer via a pre-recorded message to the primary account telephone number or by letter requesting that the customer call the number on their bill to discuss the account. Georgia Power’s pre-recorded message will not ask customers to remain on the line or press a number to speak to a representative immediately. 

• In the rare event that an employee needs to visit a customer’s home or business for a service-related issue, they will be in uniform and present a badge with a photo, their name and the company’s name and logo. They will also be in a vehicle marked with the company’s logo.  

To learn more about how you can defend yourself against scammers and avoid falling victim to common mistakes, additional information is available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Scams.