The European Union’s ambassador to Georgia expressed disappointment Friday over Tbilisi’s determination to successfully halt its EU accession bid till 2028, calling it “heartbreaking.” He additionally condemned police violence in opposition to protesters at a pro-EU demonstration Thursday.
Police used water cannons, pepper spray and tear fuel in opposition to masked youths protesting the ruling Georgian Dream celebration’s transfer to droop EU accession talks, which it described as a response to “blackmail” from Brussels.
“We deplore the use of violence against peaceful protesters,” mentioned EU envoy Pawel Herczynski. Describing the freeze on accession talks as “very regrettable … heartbreaking,” Herczynski added, “What happened yesterday clearly goes against the policy of previous Georgian governments and against the will of the vast majority of Georgia’s population.”
Opinion polls present EU membership is supported by about 80% of the Georgian inhabitants, and the purpose of EU accession is written into the nation’s structure.
Some 112 serving Georgian diplomats signed an open letter calling the federal government’s suspension of EU accession talks unconstitutional.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry mentioned Friday that 43 folks had been arrested throughout Thursday evening’s protest.
In a press release, it additionally mentioned 32 cops had been injured throughout the protest, which noticed some demonstrators trying to smash metallic obstacles outdoors parliament.
Call for extra protests
Coalition for Change, the nation’s largest opposition celebration, mentioned two of its feminine leaders had been attacked by police throughout the protest, one struggling a damaged hand and the opposite a damaged nostril.
“Today we have only one job: the service of the country, so that tomorrow we will have a country, and that our children will have a future,” Nika Melia, one other Coalition for Change chief, wrote on Facebook. He known as for contemporary protests Friday.
Though Georgia is an EU candidate nation, its relations with Brussels have deteriorated sharply in current months amid accusations from EU politicians that Tbilisi is pursuing pro-Russian and authoritarian insurance policies.
The authorities, which doesn’t have diplomatic ties with Russia, mentioned the legal guidelines have been mandatory to guard nationwide safety and society’s conventional values.
Georgian Dream, which is seen as managed by its billionaire founder, ex-prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, has deepened ties with Russia and China in recent times.
Georgian Dream claimed victory in an October election with practically 54% of the vote, however opposition events mentioned the vote was fraudulent and refused to take their seats in parliament.
The European Parliament voted Thursday to withhold recognition of the October election and known as for sanctions on key Georgian Dream figures.
Source: www.dailysabah.com