This comes as demonstrators took to the streets for the seventh consecutive night time to protest the federal government’s resolution to halt EU accession negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Georgian Dream (GD) of pushing the nation in direction of dependence on Russia and mentioned he was working with European companions and others to organize sanctions towards the Georgian authorities.
“This state of affairs in Georgia, in fact, shouldn’t be solely the issue of 1 nation and it’s not solely the issue of our area: the way in which the present Georgian authorities is pushing the nation in direction of clear dependence on Russia. It is actually shameful which actions they’re taking towards their very own folks,” Zelensky mentioned in his nightly speech.
This comes as hundreds of individuals took to the streets once more in what marked the seventh night time of protests towards the federal government’s resolution to droop negotiations on Georgia’s membership of the European Union (EU).
The Georgian folks gathered within the capital are decided to protest till their calls for are met and Georgia is as soon as once more on the trail to EU membership.
Protesters, wrapped in Georgian and European flags with lasers and whistles, gathered in entrance of the parliament. Unlike earlier nights, riot police didn’t attempt to disperse the protesters.
Over the previous six days, riot police have used water cannons and tear gasoline to disperse protesters, who’ve thrown fireworks at law enforcement officials and constructed barricades on the central avenue of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi.
Since Thursday final week, a minimum of 300 protesters have been arrested and 100 handled for accidents.
Amid the continuing demonstrations, the police additionally arrested one of many nation’s opposition leaders within the capital, in an obvious try and quell the wave of protests.
The opposition Coalition for Change social gathering mentioned police raided its workplaces and arrested its chief, Nika Gvaramia.
The group shared a video during which a number of officers are seen dragging Gvaramia right into a automobile, whereas somebody within the background shouts “How are you dragging him? What are you doing, what are you doing? He feels unhealthy. Call the ambulance. He is with out senses.”
Local media reported that police additionally raided the workplaces of a number of different opposition teams, in addition to non-governmental organizations.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the Georgian Dream social gathering had earlier accused the opposition of making an attempt a revolution and mentioned the raids had focused these encouraging violence throughout protests in a bid to topple his authorities.
