Newsroom
For the fifth night in a row, thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, protesting the government’s recent decision to suspend its pursuit of European Union (EU) membership. The protests have drawn widespread attention, with participants waving Georgian and EU flags outside the national parliament and calling for a return to pro-European policies.
The protests have been met with sharp criticism from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who claims the movement is being fueled by foreign interests. Speaking at a press conference, Kobakhidze, a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, accused the protesters of receiving opaque funding from abroad. He firmly stated, “There will be no revolution in Georgia, whether it is transparent or not.”
While reiterating his government’s commitment to making “maximum efforts” to join the EU in the future, Kobakhidze justified the suspension of membership aspirations—a move that triggered the unrest. Despite widespread criticism, he ruled out negotiations with the opposition. The protests, which began as peaceful gatherings, have escalated in recent days, with reports of clashes between demonstrators and police forces. Authorities have deployed a heavy police presence around the parliament to manage the large crowds.
Critics of the Georgian Dream party accuse it of veering toward authoritarianism and maintaining pro-Russian leanings, a claim the government denies. However, the suspension of EU accession talks has deepened concerns about the country’s political direction, further fueling public discontent. For now, the protesters remain undeterred, with their numbers and persistence signaling ongoing tension in a country at a crossroads between European aspirations and internal political struggles.
