Protests in Georgia: Citizens resist turning away from the EU!

Protests in Georgia: Citizens resist turning away from the EU!

Protests have spread across the country in a dramatic uprising against the Georgian government! People have been pouring into the streets for four nights following the shocking announcement that EU membership talks would be frozen for four years. The anger is directed against the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is seen by many as a traitor to European integration and instead seeks rapprochement with Russia.

The outrage reached its peak on Sunday when Prime Minister Iraqi Kobakhidze rejected calls for new elections with a resounding “Of course not.” The opposition and President Salome Zurabishvili, who supports EU accession, have questioned the legitimacy of the new government and are calling for the election results to be annulled. Meanwhile, thousands of demonstrators again gathered in Tbilisi, the capital, waving EU and Georgian flags and shielding themselves from tear gas with diving masks.

Protests are spreading

The protests are no longer limited to the capital! Demonstrations reportedly took place in at least eight cities and towns. In the Black Sea city of Poti, protesters blocked an access road to the country's main commercial port, while in Khashuri eggs were thrown at the Georgian Dream office and the party flag was torn down. Over 150 protesters were arrested across the country, while the US and EU expressed support for the protesters and condemned police “excessive force”.

The US government even suspended a strategic partnership with Tbilisi, which Kobakhidze dismissed as a “temporary event.” The EU and several European countries have also issued strong warnings about violence against demonstrators. Amid this unrest, hundreds of government employees and more than 200 diplomats have spoken out against the decision to suspend EU talks, warning that it could lead Georgia into international isolation.