Georgia’s PM accuses opposition of orchestrating protest violence

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warns opposition leaders and NGOs will be held accountable for mounting mass protests against last month’s elections, while court rules against president’s bid to overturn vote.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused opposition groups of having “orchestrated violence,” as massive antigovernment rallies rock the country.

Kobakhidze made the claim on Tuesday, as dozens were reported to have been injured during protests against October’s disputed elections. The same day, Georgia’s top court dismissed a bid by the country’s pro-Western president to overturn the election.

Georgia’s Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs said that 26 people, including 23 protesters and three law enforcement officers were injured in overnight clashes. Thousands took to the streets of Tbilisi on Monday for a fifth consecutive day of huge protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party’s election victory and subsequent decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.

“Opposition politicians who have orchestrated the violence in recent days while hiding in their offices will not escape responsibility,” Kobakhidze said at a news conference. He added that NGOs would “not evade responsibility”.

The standoff between riot police and mostly young protesters continued throughout the night into Tuesday, with police using tear gas as demonstrators responded by throwing fireworks.

Protesters accuse the party of trying to bring Tbilisi back into Moscow’s orbit and were infuriated by Kobakhidze’s announcement last week that the government would shelve talks on EU accession until 2028.

Crisis deepens

NATO chief Mark Rutte on Tuesday slammed the situation in Georgia. “The reports of violence are deeply concerning, and I condemn them unequivocally,” he told a news conference.

The Western military alliance allies “urge the Georgian government to stay on the path” towards “more EU and NATO integration”, he added.

The Caucasus country has seen several waves of mass protests this year against Georgian Dream, which has been in power for more than a decade.

The political crisis has deepened since its contested October election, with the opposition and the country’s pro-EU president, Salome Zurabishvili, accusing the party of rigging the election. Several Western countries have also questioned its result.

However, Georgia’s top court on Tuesday threw out an attempt by Zurabishvili and opposition groups to overturn the election.

“The Constitutional Court of Georgia did not accept the lawsuits of the president and political parties regarding the recognition of the October 26 elections as unconstitutional,” it said in a statement.

Kobakhidze has insisted he will not hold talks with the opposition, accusing them of trying to stage a Ukraine-style pro-EU uprising, funded from abroad, in comments that resemble Russian narratives.