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Georgia suspends EU accession talks: Rallies begin

Georgia has suspended the start of negotiations on joining the European Union until 2028, and has also refused all EU budget grants for the same period. Its Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced.

After this, protesters blocked Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. Later, President Salome Zourabichvili joined them, and a protest began.

Local media report that a large number of police officers and special equipment are trying to push demonstrators away from the parliament building, and mass arrests are underway.

In turn, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the rally went beyond the limits of a peaceful protest, and called on the crowd to disperse. The ministry also reported that three police officers were injured as a result of the clashes.

«The protest in Tbilisi went beyond the norms established by the law on assembly and manifestation, the police used special means against the protesters; three police officers were injured, two of whom were hospitalized,» the statement says.

Water cannons and tear gas are being used against protesters near the Parliament. Special forces have begun to violently disperse the rally in Tbilisi, the media report.

Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26. According to the results of the vote count at the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream party won 53.92 percent of the votes. Four opposition political organizations also got into Parliament, but they do not agree with the results.

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