Georgian opposition supporters hold EU, Georgian and Ukrainian flags during a protest in front of the Parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 November 2024. Thousands of pro-EU activists demonstrated in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi to protest against the country’s ruling party decision to suspend accession talks with the European Union (EU) until the end of 2028. Photo: EFE/EPA/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI

Thousands of pro-European protesters gathered today for the third consecutive day outside the Georgian Parliament to protest the government’s decision to freeze the start of EU accession talks until 2028.

Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that last night protesters threw various objects, including stones, pyrotechnics, glass bottles, and metal items, at law enforcement officers adding that ten ministry employees were injured in the violence.

Recent rallies in Georgia have resulted in violent clashes between pro-European protesters and riot police, with nearly 200 arrested and more than 70 policemen injured. Protesters erected barricades and threw objects such as irons, stones and bottles at the police forces, according to Prime Minister Irakli Kobajidze.

The PM has stated that protesters are trying to find a reason for trying to cause unrest in the country and the ‘Ukrainization’ of Georgia and calling them foreign-sponsored radicals at the time he said that “have not yet realized that, unlike Ukraine in 2013, Georgia is an independent state with strong institutions and, more importantly, a experienced and wise people whose strength you cannot break.”

On the other hand, Georgia’s president joined the demonstrators on Thursday, accusing the government of declaring “war” on its own people: “It is Europe and the European ideal that these Russian proxies are deliberately and savagely crushing on the Tbilisi streets. Wake up Europe!“ said the president in X.

In addition, ambassadors of Georgia to the Netherlands, David Solomonia, and Bulgaria, Otar Berdzenishvili, have resigned because they are not in agreement with the government’s decision to suspend EU accession negotiations.

According to the local press, at least 160 members of the staff of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs joined in a statement by public employees expressing their disagreement with the postponement of the start of negotiations with the EU, to which Georgia has been a candidate country since December last year.

Republished from TeleSUR, with thanks!