Prime Minister and 13 other country officials sanctioned by Estonia

Estonia announced this Sunday, December 15, that it had sanctioned Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and 13 other officials from this country, denouncing violence “criminals” perpetrated by the Georgian authorities against demonstrators, journalists and the opposition. The announcement, made by the head of Estonian diplomacy Margus Tsahkna on .

This election, boycotted by the opposition and which risks accentuating the political crisis in this Caucasian country, provoked new street demonstrations on Saturday, while the outgoing head of state, the pro-Western Salomé Zourabichvili, had deemed this vote illegal and said she would refuse to surrender her mandate. “Estonia sanctioned 14 other Georgian officials, including Prime Minister (Irakli) Kobakhidze”wrote the Estonian minister, without however mentioning the other names or specifying the sanctions.

“Criminal violence”

The three Baltic countries, including Estonia, had already banned several Georgian officials from entering their territory, including Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, as well as Georgia’s richest man, Bidzina Ivanishvili, widely considered to be pulling the strings of power. “The violence perpetrated by the Georgian authorities against protesters, journalists and opposition leaders is criminal and contrary to human rights”Margus Tsahkna insisted on Sunday, calling on all EU countries to “react and take action” adequate.

Georgia has been experiencing unrest since the party that leads it, Georgian Dream, claimed victory in the October 26 legislative elections, described as rigged by the opposition, and the government decided at the end of November to suspend all negotiations until 2028. of accession to the EU. A decision causing demonstrations every evening in Tbilisi by thousands of people accusing the government of wanting to put Georgia back into Moscow’s orbit.