Large-scale protests held in Tbilisi as government halts EU accession process
- 30 November, 11:42
Mass protests are being held across Georgian cities following the government’s decision to halt the country’s EU accession process. Thousands of protesters gathered outside the Parliament building in response to the government decision on November 28.
Police clashed with protesters who were throwing rocks and fireworks and constructing barricades in Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue. The protesters were soon dispersed, with police arresting some of the demonstrators. Video footages circulated in media showed some of protesters being beaten, verbally assaulted, with one man being kicked on his head several times on the ground. A group of protesters were rounded up and arrested.
Arrests were also made in others cities, including Batumi, Kutaisi, Telavi, and Chorotskhu. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze blamed the protesters for the arrests, saying that ‘If there had not been large-scale violence by the protesters, there would have been no need to disperse the gathering and, consequently, none of these incidents would have occurred.”
President Salome Zourabichvili who is against the pro-government’s recent decision on EU, slammed the riot police for violence against demonstrators while hailing the protests as an “unprecedented movement”. “This is a huge movement that has begun in the public sector and that will engulf all of Georgia’, the president stressed.
The government’s decision to derail Georgia’s EU integration has sparked criticism among opposition groups and the EU Parliament as well. On Thursday Georgia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Otar Berdzenishvili resigned over the issue. Georgia’s EU partners have also criticized the government’s decision to halt EU process. Finland’s Foreign Minister, Elina Valtonen, expressed disappointment over the issue. “We still see the Georgian people’s future in a free and democratic society. Strongly condemn any violent action against peaceful protesters. Georgia is Europe,” Valtonen said. Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was “appalled” by the developments in Georgia.
