Former soccer star set to become Georgia's president in a blow to country's EU aspirations

A former soccer star is set to become president of Georgia Saturday. The opposition says the ruling Georgian Dream party is tightening its grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s European aspirations and a victory for its former imperial ruler, Russia. An Oct. 26 vote gave the ruling party control of Parliament in the South Caucasus nation. Now its candidate Mikheil Kavelashvili — a 53-year-old former Premier League striker — is set to replace the pro-Western president. The current president and the opposition have accused Georgian Dream of rigging the Oct. 26 vote with Moscow’s help. They have boycotted Parliament sessions and demanded an election rerun.