Protesters clashed with police in the capital of Georgia after the ruling party announced it was delaying talks with the European Union on the country’s potential membership in the bloc.
Police used tear gas, pepper spray, and physical force early Friday morning as groups of people rallied near the parliament building in Tbilisi. Forty-three people were detained, according to a statement from the country’s law enforcement.
Dozens of people, including politicians, police and journalists, sustained injuries during the crackdown, which included the use of water cannons and rubber bullets.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the government wouldn’t pursue EU membership talks until the end of 2028, a move that drew condemnation from the president. The announcement came hours after parliament confirmed the new cabinet.
The ruling Georgian Dream party, which was founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, won October parliamentary elections to extend its 12-year rule by four more years, according to the Central Election Commission. Opposition lawmakers that back a pro-European charter are boycotting the parliament, alleging fraud in the vote.
Georgia applied to join the EU in 2022, but the bloc never formally agreed to open the years-long process of negotiating membership.
EU leaders in June said that Georgia’s refusal to reverse a crackdown on civil society had prompted a “de facto” halt to its efforts to join the bloc.
They cited the adoption of a “foreign agents” law, which the US and the EU said was similar to one President Vladimir Putin introduced to crush pro-democracy groups in Russia. The controversial legislation forces non-governmental organisations to disclose their sources of funding from abroad.
There have been weeks of rallies following the parliamentary election results. Local television also showed demonstrations in other cities in the country, starting late Thursday. - Bloomberg