Tbilisi, November 30, 2024 – The Europe Today: Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze declared on Saturday that the state would not allow any attempts at revolution following widespread protests against the government’s decision to freeze the country’s EU accession process. The protests were sparked by the Georgian Dream party’s announcement on Thursday that it was halting EU talks for the next four years, citing what it called “blackmail” from the European Union. This decision represents a dramatic shift from Georgia’s long-standing goal of EU membership, a priority that has consistently enjoyed strong public support.
The abrupt reversal has generated significant outrage, particularly as EU membership is enshrined in Georgia’s constitution. Public opinion polls have long shown overwhelming support for joining the European Union.
Kobakhidze accused his opponents of attempting to instigate a revolution, drawing comparisons to Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan protests that led to the ousting of a pro-Russian president. “In Georgia, the Maidan scenario cannot be realized. Georgia is a state, and the state will not, of course, permit this,” the prime minister said, according to Georgian media.
Protests continued into the weekend, with demonstrators in Tbilisi clashing with riot police. The Ministry of the Interior reported the detention of 107 people in the capital overnight following violent protests along Rustaveli Avenue, where barricades were erected and fireworks were thrown at police. Authorities used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds, and fresh protests were planned for Saturday evening.
The decision to freeze EU accession talks has been condemned by hundreds of government employees, including staff from the foreign, defense, justice, and education ministries, as well as the central bank, who have signed open letters denouncing the move.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a star player for Georgia’s national soccer team, also voiced support for the protesters. “My country hurts, my people hurt — it’s painful and emotional to watch the videos that are circulating, stop the violence and aggression! Georgia deserves Europe today more than ever!” Kvaratskhelia wrote on Facebook.
The decision to halt the EU accession talks marks the latest development in a series of strained relations between the Georgian Dream party and the West. The ruling party, which has been accused of authoritarianism and pro-Russian sympathies, is led by billionaire ex-prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who has increasingly taken anti-Western positions.
Following an October election, which opposition parties claim was marred by irregularities, Georgian Dream won nearly 54 percent of the vote. Western nations have called for investigations into alleged electoral violations, but both the ruling party and the electoral commission maintain the election was fair.
The European Union had already stalled Georgia’s application due to concerns over laws targeting “foreign agents” and restrictions on LGBT rights, which it criticized as draconian and pro-Russian. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream has worked to strengthen ties with Russia, despite a lack of diplomatic relations since a brief war in 2008. The countries restored direct flights in 2023, and Russia lifted visa restrictions on Georgian nationals earlier this year.
