In Georgia, fourth night of pro-European Union demonstrations, the head of government rules out the organization of new legislative elections

The Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, excluded, Sunday 1^is December, the organization of new legislative elections, despite the political crisis and three consecutive nights of pro-European demonstrations dispersed by force. “Of course not”he replied to the press, when asked about this hypothesis.

The former Soviet republic has been in turmoil since the October 26 election won by the ruling Georgian Dream party, but contested by the opposition, which accuses the government of pro-Russian authoritarian drift.

Thousands of pro-EU demonstrators gathered again on Sunday evening in several towns in Georgia, for the fourth night in a row, to protest against the postponement of accession negotiations to the European Union until 2028, announced Thursday by the government . Gathered in front of the Parliament, they waved European and Georgian flags, and chanted: “Georgia!” ». Some were banging on the metal door that blocks the entrance to the building, and others had put on diving masks to protect their eyes from the tear gas. Groups of police, protected by shields, threw water with garden hoses, then with water cannons, to disperse the crowd gathered in front of Parliament, without much success.

Georgia was granted candidate status for membership in December 2023, but Brussels has since frozen the process, accusing the government of serious attacks on democratic principles. The latter, for his part, accuses Brussels of ” blackmail “but still assures that it wants to join the EU by 2030.

Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said “unacceptable”Sunday, the dispersal by force of pro-European demonstrations. “It is clear that the use of violence against peaceful protesters is not acceptable and that the Georgian government must respect the will of the Georgian people”said M^me Kallas during a visit to kyiv, Ukraine, on his first day in office. The situation will “clearly consequences” on relations between Tbilisi and Brussels, she warned.

Of the « options » have, according to her, been proposed to the 27 EU member states as to how to react, including through sanctions. “But, of course, we have to reach an agreement”added the Estonian diplomat.

“The only legitimate institution in the country”

In a speech delivered on Saturday, the pro-European president, Salomé Zourabichvili, whose functions are essentially honorary, declared that Parliament had no legitimacy to appoint her successor and promised to remain in her post at the end of her term. term, which ends this year. She judges that the legislative elections won with nearly 54% of the votes by Georgian Dream, the party led by businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili, were tainted by fraud.

“As long as there are no new elections and a Parliament that elects a new president according to new rules, my mandate will continue”declared Salomé Zourabichvili, in an exclusive interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP). “No one outside of Georgia, among our democratic partners, recognized the elections”underlines the president, who presents herself as the “the country’s only legitimate institution”.

The newly elected Parliament announced that it would elect the next president on December 14 and that his inauguration for a five-year term would take place on December 29.

After the legislative elections, a group of Georgian observers said they had evidence of large-scale electoral fraud. The EU has demanded an investigation into what it called « graves » irregularities. The spokesperson for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, also “condemned the excessive use of force against Georgians exercising their freedom to demonstrate”. “We have suspended our strategic partnership with Georgia”he added. France, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden and Lithuania also expressed their concerns.