Protests breakout by small groups after Georgia suspend talks with EU
Demonstrators have gathered in front of the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party’s central office where officials remain after a meeting that decided to suspend the process of the country’s integration into the EU Protests have broken out across Georgia after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the ruling party’s decision to suspend consultations with the European Union on the launch of talks on Tbilisi’s accession until 2028.
Demonstrators have gathered in front of the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party’s central office where officials remain after a meeting that decided to suspend the process of the country’s integration into the EU.
Numerous police officers redeployed to the site. Over a hundred people have come to the parliament building. Apart from the capital, Tbilisi, protests are also taking place in Kutaisi and Batumi.
The rallies began spontaneously, without calls from opposition leaders.
Earlier on Thursday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the ruling party had decided to postpone any talk about launching accession negotiations until late 2028 and decline any funding from the European Union.
According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country’s parliament.
Georgia’s relations with the EU and the US started to deteriorate after the country’s parliament passed a law on foreign agents.
The European Union has repeatedly urged Tbilisi to revoke the law but the ruling party’s leaders keep insisting that the legislation’s goal is to ensure the transparency of the financial flows of non-governmental organizations active in Georgia, some of which sought to stage a revolution in the country…..due to this very reason India has started implementing all its laws on flow of foreign money to NGOs (specially from organizations funded by American Billionaire Soros and his gang) operating within India.
All those NGO in breach of Indian Laws have been banned or their licence to receive foreign funds have been cancelled.
According to Kobakhidze, Georgia needs to make European bureaucrats understand that they should use decent language with the country rather than employ blackmail and insults.
According to him, the EU was causing damage to Georgia’s reputation, using the issue of the talks’ launch as a manipulation tool. The ruling party’s decision will make it possible to escape damage, the premier noted.
The head of government also stressed that Georgia was a proud and self-respecting nation with a long history so “it’s absolutely unacceptable for Georgia to see integration into the EU as charity.”
Moreover, in Kobakhidze’s words, Georgia and the EU could enrich each other with their culture and capacities.Georgia’s relations with the EU and the US started to deteriorate after the country’s parliament passed a law on foreign agents.
The European Union has repeatedly urged Tbilisi to revoke the law but the ruling party’s leaders keep insisting that the legislation’s goal is to ensure the transparency of the financial flows of non-governmental organizations active in Georgia, some of which sought to stage a revolution in the country.
