No accession discussions
Numerous people injured in protests against Georgia’s rejection of the EU
In Georgia, opposition supporters are disappointed. Because the government has put EU accession talks on hold. There were riots in the capital Tbilisi.
In Georgia, several people were injured during protests against the government’s rejection of accession talks with the European Union (EU). According to media reports, at least 18 police officers and an as yet unknown number of demonstrators were injured in the capital Tbilisi. Accordingly, there were also several arrests. The protests continued early in the morning. Rallies with a pro-European tone and hundreds of participants were also reported in the large cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Gori and Zugdidi.
In the center of Tbilisi, several thousand people gathered at the parliament building late on Thursday evening. Pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, who accused the government of a “constitutional coup,” also joined the protest. A large contingent of armed police cordoned off the parliament building. After midnight (local time), security forces used pepper spray and water cannons. According to Georgian media, some demonstrators also reported using rubber bullets.
Georgia’s head of government declares EU accession talks over
The national-conservative Prime Minister Iraqi Kobachidze had previously declared the EU accession process stopped. Georgia will not negotiate accession with Brussels before the end of 2028 and will not accept any budget subsidies from the EU until then. He viewed criticism from the EU of the increasingly authoritarian course of the national-conservative ruling party Georgian Dream as inappropriate pressure on his country. At the end of October, the party was declared the winner of the parliamentary election, which was overshadowed by allegations of fraud.
The former Soviet republic of Georgia, together with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, received EU candidate status in December 2023. However, the relationship has deteriorated rapidly because the ruling party is increasingly critical of Europe and wants to limit alleged foreign influence in the country. The desired control over civil society is similar to the methods in Russia. Brussels has therefore also put the rapprochement on hold. The opposition wants to stick to the European course. She accuses the government of claiming that her election victory was only achieved through manipulation.
DPA
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Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
