Mass Protests and Police Clashes Erupt in Tbilisi After Georgian PM Halts EU Membership Talks

On November 28, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would suspend negotiations on joining the European Union until the end of 2028. The decision sparked mass protests in the capital, Tbilisi, with several thousand demonstrators gathering in Freedom Square. Violent clashes erupted between police and protesters, leading to the use of water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Russian media Meduza reported on November 29 that the protest was dispersed.

President Salome Zourabichvili joined the demonstrators, accusing the government of turning against its people. “An illegitimate government has declared war on its own citizens,” Zourabichvili said.

Zourabichvili directly confronted security forces, asking: “Do you serve Russia or Georgia? To whom did you swear an oath? I want an answer. Do you not think about the future of your country or your children?”

The Georgian Interior Ministry reported that 43 people were detained during the protests, charged with disobeying police orders and minor hooliganism.

Previously, thousands gathered outside the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, protesting alleged manipulation in recent Georgian parliamentary elections.