Police clashed with protesters in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Thursday, Nov. 28, after the country’s ruling party announced it paused talks on joining the European Union (EU) until the end of 2028. Nearly 50 protesters were reportedly arrested, and three police officers were injured in the protests.
Police in riot gear reportedly fired a water cannon and launched teargas as protesters tried to force their way into parliament.
As thousands of pro-EU activists blocked the streets, the country’s outgoing pro-EU president accused the government of declaring “war” on its own people and questioned whether the police were loyal to Georgia or Russia.
The government’s decision came after the European Parliament rejected the results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections in October 2024 and passed a resolution calling for new elections under international supervision.
Many Georgians called the results of the elections fraudulent, and a global research and data firm declared the results “statistically impossible.”
Official results gave Georgia’s ruling party nearly 54% of the vote. The opposition party has refused to take their seats due to concerns over election integrity.
Georgia’s relationship with the EU has become tense recently. Brussels accused the Georgian government of taking pro-Russian stances, which Georgia’s ruling party denies.
Ruling party officials accused the EU of using accession talks to spur a “revolution in the country,” citing this as the reason Georgia has decided to end talks about EU membership until 2028. Polls show around 80% of Georgians want the country to join the EU.
Meanwhile, domestic and foreign critics accuse Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party of steering the country back towards Moscow with recently passed laws, including one requiring any non-commercial person or organization receiving more than 20% funding from a “foreign power” register as a foreign agent or face significant fines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the so-called foreign agent’s law. The EU gave Georgia candidate status in 2023 but noted that a number of the country’s “Russian-inspired” laws passed, including the foreign agent’s legislation, were obstacles to membership.
Georgia gained independence from Russia in 1991 and has no formal diplomatic relationship with Moscow since a war with the country in 2008.
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