Georgian protests

Thousands of demonstrators have gathered outside Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi for a sixth consecutive night, protesting the government's suspension of negotiations on European Union accession. Riot police and special forces have continued to use water cannons, tear gas, and other means to disperse the crowds, often resulting in clashes marked by violence and mass arrests.

Protests have continued to rock Georgia following the government's controversial decision to suspend its bid to join the European Union. Demonstrations began on November 28 after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the country would halt EU accession talks for four years, triggering widespread anger.

Otar Berdzenishvili, the Georgian Ambassador to Bulgaria, has announced his resignation in response to the Georgian government's decision to freeze EU membership talks. In a post on social media, Berdzenishvili expressed his disappointment, citing the undermining of Georgia's EU integration efforts.

Protests erupted in Tbilisi after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced a delay in the country's EU accession talks until 2028, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and police. Riot police employed water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray to disperse crowds near Parliament.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Thursday that while Tbilisi remains committed to its goal of European Union membership, it will not pursue accession until 2028, accusing Brussels of "blackmail".

Around 20,000 people gathered in the Georgian capital, rallying against what they called electoral fraud in the recent parliamentary elections held on Saturday. The opposition, alongside citizens from Tbilisi, demanded fresh elections, insisting they be conducted independently from Georgia's current election commission.

Democracy in Georgia is facing significant threats, according to a statement from the European Parliament's press office. Repressive laws are hindering the media, civil society, and the LGBTQ+ community, prompting urgent calls for change.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has put a mostly symbolic veto on the "foreign influence" law which has sparked unprecedented protests and warnings from Brussels that the measure would undermine Tbilisi's EU aspirations.

Hungary would encourage other European Union members to adopt laws similar to Georgia's highly contested "foreign influence" law, a senior official of the Central European country said on May 17.

The bill's adoption has prompted unprecedented protests in Tbilisi and a blizzard of international condemnation, including from the EU.

The European Commission on Wednesday slammed Georgia for passing a "foreign influence" law targeting overseas-funded NGOs and for repressing mass protests against it, urging Tbilisi to reverse course.