In brief
Thousands of protesters gathered in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, following the government's announcement to suspend talks on EU accession until 2028, exacerbating conflicts between pro-Western opposition and the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Thousands took to the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia on Friday to protest the government's recent decision to halt its bid for European Union membership for four years. The announcement from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has ignited further tensions between the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is shifting Georgia’s diplomatic focus toward Russia and China, and the opposition, which is advocating for closer ties with the West.Protesters blocked major thoroughfares, chanting phrases such as "slaves" and "Russians," in a demonstration against the government's pivot away from Europe. Riot police responded with water cannons and tear gas, leading to dispersions of the crowd in front of the Parliament. Officials reported that at least 43 individuals were detained and 32 officers sustained injuries during the unrest.The protest followed the prime minister's announcement that Georgia would also refuse any grants from the EU, despite the bloc having allocated more than $500 million to the nation since 2019. Georgia, a mountainous country of 3.7 million residents, has long been a focal point of geopolitical intersection. The current unrest is rooted in the disputed victory of the Georgian Dream party in the parliamentary elections held in October, which has driven a wedge between different political factions in the country. Protesters are expected to continue their demonstrations as the political crisis deepens.
