Thousands of Georgians gathered again on Friday afternoon, November 29, in the center of Tbilisi, at the request of the pro-European opposition, following the arrest of forty anti-government protesters, accused of pro-Russian authoritarian drift.
Despite the heavy police presence, several thousand people gathered in front of Parliament on Friday afternoon, blocking traffic on the capital’s main avenue. For the second night in a row, Georgia riot police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters; The latter are protesting against the government’s decision to delay negotiations for integration into the European Union (EU) until 2028, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
This Caucasian country, accustomed to political crises, has been mired in turmoil since the October 26 legislative elections, won by the ruling Georgian Dream party, but marked by irregularities, according to the pro-Western opposition and President Salomé Zourabichvili. The latter, in the evening, expressed her solidarity with the “ resistance movement », during a televised speech. “ “We will remain united until Georgia achieves its objectives: returning to the European path and achieving new elections.”he added.
“The self-proclaimed Georgian Dream government is doing everything possible to destroy Georgia’s chances of joining the European Union”one protester, Laura Kekelidze, a 39-year-old teacher, told AFP. “They know that their authoritarian regime is incompatible with membership in the EU, she declared. But Georgians are part of Europe and that is why we are in the streets today. »
Bringing Tbilisi closer to Moscow
Georgian Dream and the government that emerged from it are accused by its detractors of diverting this former Soviet republic from its ambition to join the EU and, on the contrary, of wanting to bring Tbilisi closer to Moscow, while a part of the population It views Russia, which invaded Georgia in 2008, as a threat and the West as a bulwark.
Georgia officially gained membership candidate status in December 2023, but Brussels has since frozen the process, accusing the government of causing serious democratic backsliding. While authorities still say they intend to join the EU in 2030, on Thursday afternoon they announced they would postpone the issue until the end of 2028. However, on Friday, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said his country’s integration in the EU EU “by 2030” remained “number one priority”.
The move led thousands of pro-EU opposition supporters to take to the streets in protest, gathering in the capital and other cities overnight. On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, riot police fired rubber bullets and used tear gas and water cannon, hitting protesters and journalists in front of Parliament, an AFP journalist noted. The protesters had set up barricades which they set on fire.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, “Forty-three people were arrested” during the night from Thursday to Friday. According to him, thirty-two police officers were injured. “after the illegal and violent actions of the protesters”.
“Firm reaction from European capitals”
The opposition boycotts the new Parliament and demonstrations continue, so far without forcing the Government to give in. METROme Zourabichvili, at odds with the government, has limited powers and her mandate ends this year, but she demands the Constitutional Court to annul the results of the legislative elections; a request that has little chance of succeeding.
She denounced the “repression” demonstrations and called for “Firm reaction from European capitals”. In a press release on Friday evening, the French Foreign Ministry stated: carefully monitor the situation » and asked “ respect for the right to peaceful protest “.” Together with its European partners, France will continue to maintain strong ties with the Georgian population and support their European aspirations, which must not be betrayed. », also adds the text.
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The Council of Europe has “strongly condemned” there “Brutal repression of demonstrations” in Tbilisi, also expressing alarm at the Georgian government’s decision to postpone its European ambitions until 2028.
Ukraine said it was “upset” of this decision, despite the fact that this country experienced a pro-European revolution in 2014 after the pro-Russian authorities of the time tried to suspend the EU integration process. “This decision, as well as the use of force against a peaceful demonstration, demonstrates the limitation of democratic processes in the country to please Moscow”denounced Ukrainian diplomacy.
On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution rejecting the results of the legislative elections in Georgia and denouncing “significant irregularities”. The text demands that new elections be organized within a year under international supervision and that sanctions be adopted against senior Georgian officials, including the prime minister. In response, the latter, in office since February and confirmed on Thursday by MEPs, accused the European Parliament of “blackmail”.
