More than 40 people in the former Soviet nation of Georgia have been hospitalized following a brutal police crackdown on protesters in a move that was backed by pro-Russia Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
Tens of thousands of protesters hit the streets in the capital city of Tbilisi for a fourth night on Sunday after Kobakhidze’s ruling party, known as the Dream Party, suspended the country’s 15-year push to join the European Union (EU) last week.
“Any violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law,” Kobakhidze said during a weekend briefing. “Neither will those politicians who hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups to severe punishment escape responsibility.”
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Some 44 people, including 27 protesters, 16 police officers and one member of the media, were reported by Georgia’s Ministry of Interior as having been hospitalized on Sunday after police forces clashed with civilians and used water cannons and tear gas while angry protesters shot off firecrackers.
Kobakhidze insisted in his comments that Georgia’s integration process has not been halted and said, “The only thing we have rejected is the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country’s European integration.”
The government’s decision to stop EU integration came just hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday that condemned Georgia’s general election last month as neither free nor fair.
Kobakhidze, a billionaire who made his wealth in Russia and who is supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has faced push back abroad and at home over claims that the general election was rigged.
Georgia, which left the Soviet Union in 1991, has leaned on Western support for decades in an attempt to breakaway from Moscow’s influence over the country – which saw a Russian invasion in 2008.
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However, under the Dream Party, Georgia has been increasingly pushing authoritarian policies and general unrest in the country has been on the rise.
The government has claimed that recent policy changes are a move to protect the country from foreign interference and avoid being dragged into a war like that in Ukraine. However, critics of the Georgian government point to recent trends in Tbilisi that could be perceived as attempts to kowtow to Putin-favored policies.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos released a joint statement on Sunday condemning the Georgian government’s decision to suspend EU accession talks and reiterated “serious concerns about the continuous democratic backsliding of the country.”
“We note that this announcement marks a shift from the policies of all previous Georgian governments and the European aspirations of the vast majority of the Georgian people, as enshrined in the Constitution of Georgia,” the statement said.
The EU officials urged Georgian authorities to “respect the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, and refrain from using force against peaceful protesters, politicians and media representatives.”
The U.S. similarly condemned the violence against the protesters and argued the move to suspend Georgia’s EU accession “goes against the promise to the Georgian people enshrined in their constitution to pursue full integration into the European Union and NATO.”
“By suspending Georgia’s EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin,” the State Department said Sunday.
Kobakhidze dismissed the Biden administration’s comments and said, “You can see that the outgoing administration is trying to leave the new administration with as difficult a legacy as possible. They are doing this regarding Ukraine, and now also concerning Georgia.”
“This will not have any fundamental significance. We will wait for the new administration and discuss everything with them,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
