Protesters rallied in Georgia's capital for the fourth night in a row on Sunday, in signs of a growing backlash against the government's decision to halt European Union accession talks.
Tensions have escalated in recent months between the ruling Georgian Dream party and its opponents, who accuse it of increasingly authoritarian, anti-Western and pro-Russian policies.
The crisis has deepened since thousands of pro-EU demonstrators faced off with police armed with tear gas and water cannons, and the government announced Thursday that it would freeze EU negotiations for four years.
Georgia's pro-Western president Salome Zurabichvili has called for pressure on the Constitutional Court to annul the October election won by Georgian Dream. Both the opposition and Zurabichvili claim the poll was fraudulent.
Protesters gathered again on Rustaveli Street in central Tbilisi on Sunday night. According to the Georgian news agency Interpress, protesters blocked access roads to the country's main commercial port in the Black Sea city of Poti outside the capital.
Georgian media reported protests taking place in at least eight cities and towns. Opposition TV station Formula aired footage of people in Khashuri, a town of 20,000 people in central Georgia, throwing eggs at the local Georgian Dream office and tearing up party flags.
The interior minister announced on Sunday that 44 people were taken to hospital after Saturday's protests, including 27 protesters, 16 police officers and one media member.
An effigy of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream and a shadowy billionaire who made her fortune in Russia, was burned in front of parliament.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said at a press conference: “Strict laws apply to all violations of the law. Politicians who hide in their offices and victimize members of violent groups to impose harsh punishments cannot escape responsibility.”
He said it is not true that Georgia's European integration has been suspended. “The only thing we rejected was a shameful and disgusting threat that, in fact, was a serious obstacle to our European integration.”
The government's announcement came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling Georgia's general elections neither free nor fair.
The EU's new foreign policy chief, Kaja Callas, and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said in a joint statement on Sunday: The majority of Georgians, as enshrined in the Georgian Constitution. ”
They reiterated the EU's “serious concerns about the country's continued democratic backsliding” and called on Georgian authorities to “respect the rights to freedom of assembly and expression, and to support peaceful protesters and “Please refrain from using force against politicians and media representatives.”
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Georgian Dream's controversial victory in Georgia's October 26 parliamentary elections, widely seen as a referendum on Georgia's EU membership aspirations, has sparked demonstrations and led to protests by opposition parties. This led to a boycott of Congress.
Opposition parties say the Kremlin wants Tbilisi in its orbit and that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgia's former imperial master.
Zurabichvili said on Saturday that his country was becoming a “quasi-Russian” state and that the Georgian Dream was controlling key institutions.
“We are not calling for a revolution. We are calling for new elections, but on conditions that ensure that the will of the people is not once again misrepresented or stolen.” said Zurabichvili.
The EU granted membership status to the Georgian candidate in December 2023, subject to meeting EU recommendations, but the EU granted membership status to Georgia candidates this year after the passage of a “foreign influence” law that was widely seen as a blow to democracy. put on hold and reduced financial support. Freedom.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
