18:15, 02 декабря 2024, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Baktygul OSMONALIEVA
Georgia’s Ambassadors to five countries have resigned after the authorities’ decision to postpone discussions on European integration. Ambassador to Bulgaria Otar Berdzenishvili, Acting Ambassador to Italy Irakli Vekua, Ambassador to the Netherlands David Solomonia, Ambassador to the United States David Zalkaliani, and Ambassador to Lithuania Salome Shapakidze left their posts in protest. Civil Georgia reported.
According to the media outlet, more than 230 Georgian diplomats and other employees of the Foreign Ministry of Georgia signed an open statement condemning the authorities’ decision.
About 40 people were hospitalized last night during a rally in Tbilisi, including police officers.
The European Union may impose sanctions on members of Georgia’s ruling party amid anti-government protests and the suspension of EU accession process, Politico writes. The EU may also suspend the visa liberalization agreement with Georgia.
The leader of the opposition party Girchi — More Freedom Zurab Japaridze was detained in Tbilisi. A total of 24 people were detained overnight.
On the night of December 2, protesters were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons, in response, demonstrators shot back with firecrackers and fireworks. Protesters also burned tires on Rustaveli Square. After the dispersal of the protests, police detained people in pharmacies, the metro, and parks.
According to police, the total number of people detained for four days of protests reached 224. Two more were detained as part of criminal investigations: one of the detainees, according to investigators, threw a Molotov cocktail at the parliament building, the second injured a police officer with pyrotechnics. One of them is 17 years old, the other is 21. They face up to seven years in prison.
It is reported that 21 police officers were injured overnight, and in total, 113 police officers were hospitalized over the four days of protests, four of whom are still in hospital.