Georgia in turmoil: thousands protest against EU accession stop!

Georgia in turmoil: thousands protest against EU accession stop!

TIFLIS, December 3, 2024: The streets are burning in Georgia! Thousands of people demonstrate against the displacement of the EU accession negotiations announced by the pro-Russian government. The location escalated on the weekend, when tear gas and water cannons were used in violent clashes between demonstrators and the police, as Zeit.de reported.

The crisis follows a remarkable speech by Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidse, which is accused of steering the country in a pro-Russian direction. Kobachidse said that Georgia was under pressure and viewed the EU as manipulative power. In an interview with "Vatican News", Caritas director Anahit Mkhoyan warned that the population had fallen into shock and panic. She describes the dark mood: "People no longer know how to organize their lives in Georgia. They don't know if they still want to live in Georgia." Surprisingly, the return to pro-Russian politics shakes the foundations of the Georgian society, where 80 percent of citizens support EU membership.

intensification of the protests and their consequences

The protest movement is supported by President Salome Surabischwili, who criticized the police force and emphasized that the demonstrators resolve their rights. Despite the violence - over 224 arrests have been recorded since the start of the protests - people in Tbilissi and other cities show no signs of decreasing their determination. "There are no signs that the protest movement stops," said Surabischwili and called for a return to the dialogue. These protests seem to be an expression of deep dissatisfaction with the current political leadership. Mkhoyan from Caritas expressed her concern about her employees, who actively participate in the demonstrations and, due to the ongoing uncertainty, could leave the country, as from kathpress.at was reported.