Police use water cannon and pepper spray as Georgia EU protests continue

Violence has breached retired again successful Georgia's superior aft protesters took to the streets adjacent parliament implicit the suspension of EU rank talks.

Police utilized h2o cannon and capsicum spray arsenic thousands gathered successful Tbilisi to request the authorities alteration its stance.

Some protesters hurled fireworks astatine constabulary and pushed a burning concern bin towards officers.

There were also protests connected Thursday aft Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced accession talks were being enactment disconnected until 2028 owed to EU "blackmail".

It followed the European Parliament adopting a solution condemning last month's election arsenic neither escaped nor just and criticising the ruling Georgian Dream party.

The enactment won astir 54% of votes, but opponents assertion Russia helped rig the ballot to halt the country's determination towards the West.

There were allegations of ballot container stuffing, intimidation and civilian servants being forced to ballot for the presumption quo.

Joining the European Union is overwhelmingly fashionable successful Georgia, according to sentiment polls, and joining the bloc is enshrined successful its constitution.

However, the governing enactment has been accused of becoming ever-more authoritarian and sympathetic towards Moscow.

Hundreds of authorities unit person signed an unfastened missive saying the frost successful talks is unconstitutional, portion concern groups person besides urged the authorities to rethink.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who has a mostly ceremonial role, has accused the authorities of declaring "war" connected its people.

In an code to the federation connected Friday, the president urged constabulary not to usage unit connected protesters.

Georgia was granted EU campaigner presumption successful December 2023 but the process was paused indefinitely successful June aft a "foreign influence" instrumentality - seen arsenic an onslaught connected ideology - was passed.

The European Union has besides urged a re-run of the predetermination to beryllium held nether planetary supervision wrong a year.

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Prime Minister Kobakhidze said the authorities would not output to specified demands.

"We volition proceed connected our way toward the European Union; however, we volition not let anyone to support america successful a changeless authorities of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our state and society," helium said.

"We indispensable intelligibly amusement definite European politicians and bureaucrats, who are wholly devoid of European values, that they indispensable talk to Georgia with dignity, not done blackmail and insults."