{"id":191027,"date":"2024-12-19T13:00:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T09:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forbes.ge\/protesti-saqarthveloshi-ganakhlebadi-ambebi\/"},"modified":"2024-12-23T15:32:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T11:32:05","slug":"pro-eu-protests-in-georgia-live-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.forbes.ge\/en\/pro-eu-protests-in-georgia-live-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-EU Protests in Georgia: Live Updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Context<\/b><\/h3>\n

On November 28, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the Georgian Dream party would not prioritize initiating negotiations on Georgia’s accession to the European Union until the end of 2028.<\/span><\/p>\n

In his speech, Kobakhidze accused European politicians of using grants and loans allocated to Georgia as tools of blackmail. As a result, he declared that the Georgian Dream government would reject all budgetary grants from the European Union until the specified date. He assured that obligations under the Association Agenda and the Free Trade Agreement would still be fulfilled, albeit through self-financing, without any EU financial assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe intend to join the European Union not by begging and standing on one leg, but with dignity\u2014through a functioning democratic system and a strong economy. While we will continue our journey toward EU integration, we will not tolerate constant blackmail and manipulation, which is offensive to our country and society,\u201d Kobakhidze stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the same day, the Georgian Dream party approved a new government, which the President of Georgia, opposition parties, and several partner countries deemed illegitimate. Critics alleged that the parliamentary elections held on October 26 were rigged, with the ruling party accused of manipulating results to steal votes from the opposition.<\/span><\/p>\n

This decision sparked a surge in protests, as demands for new elections intensified. The refusal to open EU accession negotiations further fueled the unrest, culminating in continuous street rallies condemning the Georgian Dream’s actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Day 1\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

On November 28, large-scale protests<\/a> erupted in Tbilisi, organized by civil activists and opposition parties, opposing the Georgian Dream’s decision. Demonstrators gathered near the Parliament and the party\u2019s central office. Protests also spread to major cities like Kutaisi and Batumi, where participants rallied near local Georgian Dream offices and at Era Square, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following Kobakhidze\u2019s announcement, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili hosted EU ambassadors at her residence for talks. Opposition leaders later joined the discussions and issued a joint statement declaring the parliamentary elections fraudulent and the government illegitimate.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Guram Rogava, a journalist from the television broadcaster Formula, was violently assaulted by police officers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tensions escalated during the rally near Parliament. Police employed water cannons and pepper spray, resulting in injuries to protesters and journalists<\/a>. By nightfall, law enforcement had detained 43 individuals. Clashes also broke out in Kutaisi, where one person was arrested for blocking roads.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 2\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

On November 29, protests intensified outside Parliament, with demonstrators demanding early elections. Police dismantled barricades erected by protesters and forcibly cleared the area. Once again, they resorted to using water cannons and other crowd-control measures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Journalists and media representatives were injured during the dispersal, and footage revealed excessive use of force and obstruction of media personnel. Local and international organizations voiced their concerns over the violence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 3\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

By November 30, the protests had grown, with approximately 200,000 participants rallying in Tbilisi, according to the military analytical portal <\/span>Visioner<\/span><\/i>. Riot police dispersed demonstrators using tear gas and were seen physically assaulting smaller groups of protesters.<\/span><\/p>\n

One shocking incident involved riot police storming the Rustaveli Theater, where protesters had sought refuge. Video footage showing police beating<\/a> a fallen protester sparked outrage.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the detention of 107 individuals during the night of November 29-30. The United States responded by suspending its strategic partnership agreement with Georgia, signed in 2009.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 4\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

On December 1, protests continued outside Parliament and the Public Broadcasting building, with demonstrators accusing the media of biased reporting. They demanded live coverage and ultimately secured airtime to inform the public about ongoing events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Violence persisted near Parliament as protesters clashed with law enforcement. Protesters hurled stones and pyrotechnics<\/a>, while police responded with tear gas and water cannons. Fires broke out in parts of the Parliament building but were quickly extinguished.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Protesters outside Georgia’s parliament in Tbilisi used firecrackers during a rally opposing the government’s decision to delay European Union membership negotiations for four years. (Zurab Tsertsvadze\/AP\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That day, Georgian Ambassador to the U.S., David Zalkaliani, announced his resignation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 5\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

On December 2, the protests near Parliament drew several thousand participants. Early in the evening, police dispersed the crowd, preventing them from approaching the building. Water cannons and tear gas<\/a> were once again used to suppress resistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Protesters constructed barricades and used pyrotechnics to slow police advances. Reports of excessive force and detentions continued, with 23 protesters and 3 police officers hospitalized.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that 293 individuals had been detained as of December 3. Additionally, 143 law enforcement officers sustained injuries during the clashes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Bidzina Ivanishvili and nine other officials were banned from entering the Baltic states<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 6\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

The protests resumed on December 3, centered around Parliament. Law enforcement used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd, which moved to various locations across the city.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ministry of Internal Affairs detained<\/a> 22 protesters that day. The Ministry of Health reported that 15 individuals were hospitalized due to injuries sustained during clashes on Rustaveli Avenue.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Police detained protesters in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi. (EPA-EFE\/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Special Investigation Service launched an inquiry into alleged abuses of power by law enforcement against protesters and media personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a significant development, Georgian Public Broadcaster offered to organize a public discussion between the Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker, and former Georgian Dream ministers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over six days, Georgia\u2019s ambassadors to the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria, along with the acting ambassador to Italy, resigned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 7\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

On December 4, the seventh day of the protests, representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted raids at the homes of civil activists and opposition party offices. Among those targeted were the founders of the Facebook group Daitove and\u00a0 the youth office of the National Movement party, as well as the offices of the Girchi and Droa parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the raid on the Droa office, police arrested<\/a> Nika Gvaramia, founder of the Akhali party and leader of the Coalition for Changes. He was taken to the city\u2019s main police department and subsequently to a temporary detention center. Gvaramia was arrested<\/a> alongside Gela Khasaya, a member of Girchi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Law enforcement also detained<\/a> Zviad Tsetskhladze, founder and leader of the organization Dafioni, as well as Vepkho Kasradze and Vaso Kadzelashvili, members of the Strong Georgia movement. Additionally, during a raid on the United National Movement office, five members of the party\u2019s youth wing were arrested.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, police began searching and detaining citizens heading toward the ongoing rally. Tensions escalated near the Courtyard Marriott hotel, where opposition party representatives\u2014those who had overcome barriers in the parliamentary elections\u2014were gathering. Unknown individuals gathered outside the hotel, verbally and physically confronting opposition leaders. Police arrested Zura Datunashvili, a member of Akhali, as he was leaving the meeting of opposition parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following these repressive actions, Irakli Shaishmelashvili, the head of the Operational Planning Division of the Urgent Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, resigned in protest.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the evening, police arrested Aleko Elisashvili, leader of the Citizens party.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite these efforts to suppress the protests, the demonstrators remained undeterred, with their rally continuing near Parliament without interruption.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 8<\/b><\/h3>\n

Protests persisted for the 8th consecutive day across Tbilisi and other major Georgian cities as the Georgian Dream government intensified its repressive measures.<\/span><\/p>\n

On December 5, police arrested actor Andro Chichinadze, detaining him at his residence. Stand-up comedian Onise Tskhadadze was also apprehended at his home. The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged them, along with three others\u2014including a foreign citizen\u2014with organizing group violence, participating in it, and publicly inciting violent action. These charges carry a potential penalty of up to nine years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

During a demonstration in Kutaisi, police <\/span>detained<\/span><\/a> a minor who lost consciousness amidst their efforts to restrain him.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Giorgi Arjevanidze\/AFP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Additionally, MIA officers raided the home of Davit Kezerashvili, the founder of TV company Formula. Kezerashvili attributed this action to a decision by the Strasbourg Court earlier that day, which found that his right to a fair trial had been violated in the so-called training case. This case accused Kezerashvili of embezzling \u20ac5.06 million through a defense training project, though prosecutors were unable to substantiate the claims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Political parties that emerged victorious in the October 26, 2024 elections issued a statement reiterating their demands:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce again, we clearly state the demands to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the fulfillment of which is necessary to overcome the crisis:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n