Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, has firmly rejected calls for new elections, despite ongoing large-scale protests and a wave of public resignations from senior officials. Demonstrators have taken to the streets for a fourth consecutive night to express their anger at the ruling Georgian Dream party’s suspension of talks on joining the European Union.
Kobakhidze’s comments, made on Sunday, sought to downplay the cause of the unrest, stating that reports of the suspension were false. “We have not suspended anything, it’s a lie,” he asserted, despite his party’s previous claims that the EU had used membership talks as “blackmail” and that the issue would not be revisited until at least 2028.
The protests, which began in Tbilisi and spread to other cities like Batumi and Zugdidi, have been fueled by concerns that the Georgian government is veering away from its European integration path and towards greater influence from Russia. Georgia, which has a population of 3.7 million, has 20% of its territory under Russian military occupation in two breakaway regions. An overwhelming majority of Georgians support EU accession, and many view the government’s stance as a betrayal.
Protests continued on Sunday as smaller groups occupied intersections in Tbilisi. Salome, a 29-year-old protester, explained her presence, saying, “I’m here for my country’s future and the future of my three-year-old son. I don’t want him to spend his life at protests, and I don’t want a Russian government.”
The government’s stance has led to growing disillusionment among public officials. Georgia’s Ambassador to the U.S., David Zalkaliani, is the latest senior diplomat to resign, following a wave of departures from the diplomatic corps and civil service. Thousands of teachers and civil servants have also signed petitions condemning the government’s decision.
The protests have escalated amid allegations of police violence against journalists and demonstrators. Several reporters have been injured, with some requiring hospitalization after being beaten or pepper-sprayed. Human rights ombudsman Levan Ioseliani condemned the violence, describing it as “brutality” and calling on the police to exercise restraint.
The situation has led to increased tensions with Western allies. On Sunday, U.S. officials announced they were suspending their strategic partnership with Georgia, while the EU’s new foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, warned that the Georgian government’s actions would have “direct consequences.” The government’s relations with the EU and the U.S. have been severely damaged.
Georgia’s pro-Western President Salome Zourabichvili, who is set to step down at the end of the month, has rallied against the government, calling for new elections. However, Kobakhidze dismissed her calls, stating, “She has four Fridays left, and she can’t get used to it.”
As the political crisis deepens, Georgia’s path toward the EU and its future direction remain uncertain. The ongoing protests and resignations signal a growing discontent with the government’s policies and a potential turning point in the country’s political landscape.
