Protestors carry signs outside the Parliament of Georgia building after former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili was formally inaugurated as president of Georgia, in Tbilisi on December 29, 2024
| Photo Credit: AFP

The Foreign Ministers of Germany, France and Poland on Tuesday (December 31, 2024) expressed concern about “the political crisis” in Georgia, two days after former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili was formally inaugurated as President of the South Caucasus nation, cementing the ruling party’s grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s European Union aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia.

“We strongly condemn last week’s violence against peaceful protesters, media and opposition leaders and recall Georgian authorities’ responsibility to respect human rights and protect fundamental freedoms, including the freedom to assembly and media freedom,” the three Ministers wrote in a joint statement.

In reaction to the Russia-friendly course of the ruling Georgian Dream party, the three countries said they would “implement the EU decision on ending visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic and service passport holders and consider additional measures on EU and national level.”

They also stressed that “the political course of repression and democratic backsliding by the Georgian Dream has in reaction led to a downgrading of our relationship at European and national level and a reduction of our assistance to and cooperation with Georgia’s authorities.”

The Georgian Dream party retained control of Parliament in the South Caucasus nation in the October 26 election that the opposition alleges was rigged with Moscow’s help. The party has vowed to continue pushing toward accession to the European Union but also wants to “reset” ties with Russia.

Georgia’s outgoing president and main pro-Western parties have boycotted the post-election parliamentary sessions and demanded a rerun of the ballot.

Critics have accused the Georgian Dream — established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia — of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow, accusations the ruling party has denied. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.

Georgian Dream’s decision last month to suspend talks on their country’s bid to join the EU added to the opposition’s outrage and galvanized protests.

“We reiterate our determination to support the democratic and European aspirations of the Georgian people,” Germany, France and Poland stressed in their joint statement.

Thousands of demonstrators have converged on the parliament building for weeks every night after the government announced the suspension of EU accession talks on November 28.

Riot police used water cannons and tear gas almost daily to disperse and beat scores of protesters, some of whom threw fireworks at police officers and built barricades on the capital’s central boulevard. Hundreds were detained and over 100 were treated for injuries.

Several journalists, who were beaten by police, accused authorities of using thugs to deter people from attending anti-government rallies, a charge the Georgian Dream party denies. The crackdown has drawn strong condemnation from the United States and EU officials.

Demonstrators rally outside the parliament to protest against the government’s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Tens of thousands of people joined an 11th straight day of protests in Georgia on Sunday (December 8, 2024) after the governing party moved to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union, while a separate demonstration decried violence against Georgian journalists covering the rallies.

Police have been using increasing force in their attempts to curb the demonstrations, which have centered on the parliament building in the capital, Tbilisi. Riot police have used water cannons and tear gas every day to disperse the rallies, beating scores of protesters who threw fireworks at police officers and built barricades on the Georgian capital’s central boulevard.

At Saturday night’s demonstration, reporter Maka Chikhladze and her colleague from the independent Pirveli TV channel were targeted by a violent mob, Chikhladze told The Associated Press.

Georgian police beating demonstrators

Chikladze said her colleague managed to capture footage of men dressed in black who were beating demonstrators before they turned on the pair, violently pushing Chikhladze to the ground. She later told AP that her colleague sustained a head injury and had his camera stolen.

Chikhladze charged that Georgia’s government was using bands of thugs to deter people from attending anti-government rallies, an allegation denied by representatives of the Georgian Dream party.

On Sunday, several hundred media workers marched down Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue before putting up posters of colleagues they say had been assaulted while doing their jobs.

“Our colleagues are beaten, injured, some remain in hospital in serious condition,” TV Pirveli anchor Ekaterine Mishveladze told AP.

In a separate incident Saturday, AP journalists saw several masked men violently tackle a protester attempting to enter the offices of an opposition party, Ahali. The man, Koba Khabazi, lay slumped on the ground while his attackers repeatedly kicked him. He later showed AP his head injuries.

Georgia’s EU aspirations

Georgian Dream retained control of parliament in the disputed Oct. 26 election, a vote widely seen as a referendum on Georgia’s EU aspirations. The opposition and the pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, have accused the governing party of rigging the vote with neighboring Russia’s help and have boycotted parliament sessions.

Opposition protests gained new momentum after the Georgian Dream’s decision last Thursday to put the EU accession talks on hold.

Riot police have used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the rallies and beat scores of protesters, who threw fireworks at police officers and built barricades on Rustaveli Avenue.

The crackdown has drawn strong condemnation from the United States and EU officials. Speaking Thursday at a ministerial conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced what he described as the brutal “repression of those calling for their country to stay on the path to closer ties with Europe.”

Mamuka Mdinanradze, leader of the Georgian Dream party, condemned mob violence against protesters during a news briefing Sunday, and denied any connection with the government.

The office of Georgia’s rights ombudsman on Sunday issued a statement criticizing Georgian police for “failing to take adequate measures” to ensure safety during the demonstrations.

President Zourabichvili, who plays a largely ceremonial role, refused to recognize the official election results and contested them before the Constitutional Court, which rejected her appeal earlier this week.

The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that the country meets the bloc’s recommendations, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support in June after the passage of a “foreign influence” law that was widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.

The law requires organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “pursuing the interest of a foreign power,” similar to a Russian law used to discredit organizations critical of the government.

Protesters hold posters and Georgian national flags as they gather at the Presidential Palace to protest against alleged violations in a recent parliamentary election in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday (November 11, 2024).
| Photo Credit: AP

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on Monday (November 11, 2024) called for fresh parliamentary elections to resolve a crisis sparked by last month’s vote denounced by the Opposition as rigged in favour of the ruling party.

The European Union and the United States have called for a probe into electoral “irregularities” in the October 26 vote won by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

The pro-Western opposition has refused to recognise the election result or enter the newly elected parliament, which it deems “illegitimate”.

Ms. Zurabishvili — who is at loggerheads with the governing party — has also described the vote as illegitimate and accused Russia of interference.

Moscow has denied meddling. At a press conference on Monday (November 11, 2024), Ms. Zurabishvili said the election was “controlled and manipulated by one party.”

“This is why we are now facing a crisis,” she said, adding that the country needs “new elections so that Georgia could have a legitimate parliament, a legitimate government.”

“Our friends are here to join us in seeking out ways to help Georgia emerge from this crisis,” Ms. Zurabishvili said, referring to a group of MPs from eight European countries — including France and Germany — who visited Georgia on Monday (November 11, 2024).

Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili refused to meet the delegation. On Friday (November 8, 2024), EU chief Charles Michel said “there are serious suspicions of fraud, which require a serious investigation.”

Ahead of the election, Brussels had warned the vote would determine Georgia’s chances of joining the bloc.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in Tbilisi to protest alleged electoral fraud.

A group of Georgia’s leading election monitors said earlier that they had uncovered evidence of a complex scheme of large-scale electoral fraud that swayed results in favour of Georgian Dream.

The ruling party insists the vote was free and fair and that EU membership remains “the top priority” of its Government.

But critics have blamed the increasingly conservative party for derailing Georgia from its European path and bringing Tbilisi back into Moscow’s orbit.