On January 17, pro-government media outlet POSTV and government expert Ghia Abashidze published a post claiming that tickets for attending Donald Trump’s inauguration were being sold and that instructions for purchasing invitations were available on the ticket website. POSTV’s information card also contained a statement made by Salome Zurabishvili on January 9, in which she asserted that no one was paying for invitations to the inauguration, and even if they were, someone else would have far more resources than her. The description of Ghia Abashidze’s post suggested that a ticket for Salome Zourabichvili to attend the event had been purchased.
Information about purchasing tickets for attending the inauguration has been spread manipulatively. In reality, tickets are indeed on sale, but reservations for attending the swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural parade are free, and interested individuals can obtain them through their congressional representative. Some tickets for parties held both on the days leading up to and on the day of the inauguration, are priced. As for Salome Zourabichvili, she is attending the inauguration at the invitation of Congressman Joe Wilson.
The inauguration of the elected president, Donald Trump, is taking place in Washington, on January 20, which Salome Zourabichvili, the fifth president of Georgia, will attend. It is worth noting that she was invited by Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, and he publicly announced this invitation.
According to POSTV’s information card, instructions on how to purchase paid invitations were being shared. Aside from the fact that Zourabichvili is attending the inauguration by invitation from Wilson, it is important to note that attending the U.S. president’s swearing-in ceremony is free. To attend this event from the Capitol grounds, individuals must fill out applications for a free ticket, which they can receive through their congressional representative. It is worth noting that transferring or selling this ticket to another person is not allowed by the government. Not all those who have filled out the application receive tickets, as their number is limited (220,000), and ultimately, each congressperson distributes them according to different rules and deadlines, which may involve a lottery or giving them to those who request them earliest. Typically, each individual can request a maximum of two tickets. Those who receive tickets will need to pick them up from their representative’s office in Washington and present the identification used during the registration.
As for scalpers, Myths Detector checked tickets for the swearing-in ceremony being sold at various prices on Craigslist. In connection with this, FOX 5 contacted the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, where they advised purchasing tickets from authorized sources. The Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has noted that tickets for the swearing-in ceremony are not for sale, and any such attempts are unofficial; therefore, buying tickets from scalpers is unreliable and may lead to becoming a victim of fraud.
It should be noted that attendance at the swearing-in ceremony is open to an unlimited number of interested individuals, who will need to stand outside the Capitol grounds. A ticket is not required for this.

In addition to the president’s swearing-in ceremony, interested individuals can also attend the inaugural parade for free. However, given the large number of attendees, not everyone may be able to find a place.
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Which events are actually paid?
In addition to the swearing-in ceremony and the parade, several events are taking place from January 18-20 as part of the U.S. presidential inauguration, some of which are paid. Among them, the inauguration parties scheduled for January 20 may have a price, set by the president’s inaugural committee.
Events held on the preceding days may also have a price. For example, according to the British publication The Guardian, major donors to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee can meet and interact with Trump, but this comes at a steep price, starting at $250,000. The media reports that attending a dinner with both the president and vice president costs $1 million. However, it should be noted that for this amount, the individual receives six tickets to a dinner with Trump and two tickets to a dinner with the vice president. These events took place on January 18-19.

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