A protest rally against the suspension of Georgia’s European integration on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi passed without incident on Tuesday.
One of the opposition leaders, former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, told the Pirveli TV channel that the protests, which have lasted for 13 days, have brought results.
“Today the current Georgian authorities are not recognised by the international community. Very soon this will be followed by a downturn in the economy, after which the authorities will definitely sit down at the negotiating table on two issues – the release of all detained protesters and the appointment of new parliamentary elections. This will definitely happen,” Gakharia said.
In turn, the current Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists that he hopes for a reset of relations with the US and the EU after the new American President Donald Trump takes office.
Footage from the protests continues to appear on social media. A Georgian mercenary who lost both his legs in the fighting in Ukraine was seen in one of the videos.
The US is seeking to influence protests in Georgia through non-profit organisations and support for the unrest, The New York Times reports.
“On the streets of Georgia, it’s starting to look a little like the Ukraine of 10 years ago, before the war, when tensions with Russia started brewing,” the text says.
As the piece notes, major powers “have often intervened in conflicts in the region.” The United States and its European allies, the NYT writes, are trying to influence the events in Georgia by supporting non-profit organisations and segments of the population seeking to bring the country closer to the US. Such a move “irritated” the Georgian government, the publication notes.
The situation in Georgia will be discussed next week at meetings of the EU foreign ministers and heads of state.
Protests in Georgia began in late November after the ruling Georgian Dream party decided to postpone EU accession talks until 2028.
