Georgia's Pro-EU Movement Faces Police Crackdown

Pro-EU Protests in Georgia Met with Mass Arrests

The Georgian Dream party's decision to refuse budgetary grants from Brussels has effectively halted the...

Mass protests have broken out in Georgia after the government suspended EU accession talks, sparking fears of a drift towards Russia.

The arrests in Georgia took place amid massive protests in the capital, Tbilisi, sparked by the government's decision to suspend accession talks with the European Union. The demonstrations, which drew thousands of protesters, were a response to the ruling Georgian Dream party's disputed win in October's parliamentary elections.

The protests escalated on Friday evening, with protesters gathering in Tbilisi. The situation took a dramatic turn when the country's outgoing president, Salome Zourabichvili, joined the protesters on Thursday, accusing the government of declaring "war" on its own people by cracking down on demonstrations.

The government's suspension of EU accession talks has fueled public dissent, with many Georgians fearing that the country is drifting away from democratic values and towards Russian influence. The arrests of 107 people in Tbilisi alone have added to the tensions, with opposition leaders and protesters condemning the government's actions as an attack on democracy.

Georgia's Interior Ministry has stated that the recent protests exceeded the legal norms for assemblies and rallies. According to the ministry, protesters threw stones at police officers, built barricades, and set objects ablaze.

In response, police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters gathered on Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi's main street. The protesters, however, built makeshift barricades and defended themselves with fireworks. Pro-EU rallies also took place in other cities, including Batumi and Sugdidi. Reports indicate that arrests were made in Batumi, Georgia's second-largest city.

Demonstrations are taking place in Georgia because the ruling Georgian Dream party has suspended talks on European Union accession until 2028. This move has sparked widespread concern that the country is drifting away from Europe and towards Russia's sphere of influence.

The Georgian Dream party's decision to refuse budgetary grants from Brussels has effectively halted the country's application to join the EU for the next four years. This development has bolstered opposition to the party's continued rule, particularly after the disputed election. Many Georgians fear that their country is turning its back on European values and embracing Russian influence instead.

The Georgian government, led by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, has been at odds with the European Union for months, but things took a turn for the worse after the disputed elections in October. The EU had already put Georgia's membership application on hold due to concerns over newly passed laws on “foreign agents” and LGBT rights.

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, has been pushing for better relations with Russia, which has raised eyebrows given the two countries' tumultuous past, including a brief war in 2008 over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This shift in allegiance has sparked opposition, with many declaring a boycott of parliament and President Zourabichvili denouncing the election as fraudulent.

Interestingly, President Zourabichvili, who's nearing the end of her six-year term, was once an ally of Georgian Dream but has since become a vocal critic. This change of heart has added to the already simmering tensions between the government and the opposition.