Protests continue in Georgia over EU talks delay and disputed elections
Demonstrators with the flag of Georgia (L) and the European Union gather to protest in front of Gerogia's parliament in downtown Tbilisi on November 28, 2024, after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the country would not pursue European Union accession until 2028, accusing Brussels of "blackmail". - The announcement came hours after the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution rejecting the results of Georgia's October 26 parliamentary elections, alleging "significant irregularities". (AFP Photo)
Georgia is witnessing escalating unrest as tens of thousands continue to protest against the government’s decision to postpone European Union membership talks and the fallout from a disputed parliamentary election. The demonstrations, now in their fourth day, have been met with a heavy-handed police response and growing international condemnation.
Protesters, waving Georgian and European Union flags, gathered outside the parliament building in Tbilisi on Sunday evening, demanding accountability and political change. The unrest was triggered by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia would delay opening EU accession negotiations until 2028. Critics see this as a step away from the country’s European aspirations.
Adding to public anger are allegations of fraud in the October 26 parliamentary elections, which the ruling Georgian Dream party claims to have won. Opposition parties, rejecting the results, have boycotted the new parliament. Pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili has declared the elections illegitimate and called for their annulment through the constitutional court.
The protests have been marked by clashes with police, who have used tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons to disperse demonstrators. In some instances, officers chased protesters through the streets of Tbilisi, leading to at least 150 arrests.
Critics accuse Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, of shifting Georgia closer to Russia—a claim the party denies. The decision to nominate far-right figure Mikheil Kavelashvili as the next president has further fueled accusations of authoritarianism.
President Zurabishvili, in an interview with AFP, described herself as “the only legitimate institution in the country” and vowed to remain in office until new elections are held. She has established a “national council” comprising opposition parties and civil society groups to oversee what she calls a “stable transition.”
“Democratic partners, nobody outside Georgia has recognized the elections,” Zurabishvili said. “I will be the representative of this legitimate, stable transition.”
