Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, has expressed outrage at what he perceives as insults from EU politicians, accusing them of using the European Parliament as a tool of blackmail against his country. This comes in the midst of ongoing protests in Georgia against the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union.
The protests, which have been taking place for three consecutive nights, have seen clashes between demonstrators and police, resulting in over 100 arrests. There have been reports of police using heavy force against the media and deploying water cannons to disperse protesters.
The demonstrations were sparked by the ruling Georgian Dream party’s controversial victory in the parliamentary elections, which many believe were rigged with the help of Russia. The opposition has accused the government of being illegitimate and beholden to Moscow, leading to widespread discontent among the population.
European election observers have condemned the October vote as neither free nor fair, leading to the suspension of negotiations for Georgia to join the EU. The European Parliament has called for a rerun of the elections under international supervision and has threatened sanctions against the Georgian government.
In response, Prime Minister Kobakhidze has rejected any budgetary grants from the EU and criticized the European Parliament for its actions. Critics of the Georgian Dream party have accused it of becoming increasingly authoritarian and aligning itself with Moscow’s interests.
The situation in Georgia remains tense as protests continue and both the government and the opposition position themselves for further confrontation.
Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com
