Protests in Tbilisa: Patriarch calls for peace and support for demonstrators!

Protests in Tbilisa: Patriarch calls for peace and support for demonstrators!

in Tbilisa, the capital of Georgia, continues to come to a head. The Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II has urged the government's continuing protests against the pro-Russian policy of the government to prudence and an end to violence. He asked both the demonstrators and the security forces to adhere to the laws, the InfoPortal Orthodoxtimes reported. Ilia II was optimistic about the EU perspective, but emphasized that his message was not politically motivated in this critical period. Supporting words also came from Metropolitan Epifanij from Ukraine, which promotes the protesting courage and emphasized the importance of the independence of Georgia, while tensions with Russia are growing, since Russian government officials describe the protests as a possible revolution href = "https://www.kathpress.at/goto/manden/2429524/georgien-patriarch-ilia-i.-ruft-zu-ende-walt-auf"> Kathpress .

The current protests, triggered by the controversial parliamentary elections at the end of October and the announcement of the government to suspend accession talks with the EU, have gained considerably in the past few days. Demonstrators accuse the government under the billionaire Bidzina Iwanischwili to lead the country in an authoritarian direction. President Salome Surabischwili described the demonstrations as peaceful, but reports on massive use of tear gas and water cannons by the police raise questions about proportionality. Protesters organize themselves in groups, while the police are trying to influence violently, reports Tagesschau .

The anger of the population grows

The anger against the government is formed primarily after Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidse announced that negotiations on EU membership will be suspended until at least 2028. This decision immediately brought tens of thousands to the street, which arise against the repeated disregard for their voices. In particular, the violent clashes between the police and the protesters escalate, while the latter react to the government's measure with barricades and throwing objects. The population begins to organize civil society, with more and more national position against the government and thus showing a sign of resistance.