🔗 Share this article

Georgia's leader, Irakli Kobakhidze, has unveiled a comprehensive crackdown on political opposition, alleging protesters who tried to breach the official residence of aiming to overthrow his administration and pointing the finger at the European Union for meddling in Georgia's internal matters.

The prime minister made these allegations just a day following demonstrators attempted to breach the presidential building during local elections. Security forces stopped them by using pepper spray and water cannon.

"No one will avoid responsibility. This includes political accountability," Kobakhidze was quoted as saying.

Law enforcement detained at least five protesters, among them two members of the United National Movement and the opera singer turned campaigner Paata Burchuladze.

Local media reported the health ministry as stating that 21 members of the security forces and 6 protesters had been injured in clashes in central Tbilisi.

Context of the Political Crisis

The nation of Georgia has been in upheaval since the prime minister's governing Georgian Dream party declared win in last year's general election, which the European-leaning opposition asserts was stolen. Since then, Tbilisi's talks on joining the European Union have been halted.

Kobakhidze stated that up to 7,000 people attended Saturday's opposition rally but their "attempt to overthrow the government" had been prevented despite what he called support from the European Union.

"Several people have already been arrested – primarily the leaders of the attempted coup," he told reporters, adding that the country's main opposition force "will be barred from being active in Georgian politics."

Protest Movement Calls and Administration Reaction

Protest leaders had called for a "peaceful revolution" against Georgian Dream, which they accuse of being pro-Russian and dictatorial. The political group has been in power since 2012.

A large crowd of demonstrators assembled in the center of the capital, waving national and European flags, after an extended period of Kremlin-style raids on independent media, limitations on civil society and the detention of dozens of opponents and activists.

Kobakhidze accused the European Union's representative to the country, Paweł Herczyński, of interference. "You know that certain individuals from abroad have publicly stated explicit backing for all this, for the announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order," he remarked, noting that Herczyński "holds particular accountability in this situation."

"The ambassador should come out, distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is occurring on the city's avenues," said Kobakhidze.

European Union Response and Continuing Political Strain

In July, the EU's diplomatic service rejected what it called "disinformation and baseless accusations" about the Union's supposed involvement in Georgia.

The pro-western opposition have been staging protests since last October, when Georgian Dream secured victory in a national vote that its opponents say was marred by fraud. The party has denied accusations of electoral manipulation.

Georgia has the objective of joining the European Union enshrined in its founding document and has long been one of the most Europe-oriented of the former Soviet republics. Its relations with the Western nations have been under pressure since Moscow's military offensive of its neighbor in 2022.

GD is controlled by its creator, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the wealthiest individual and a ex-leader, and rejects it is aligned with Russia. It states it aims to join the European Union while preserving stability with Russia.