Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has announced that she will not leave office when her term expires in December, citing an “illegitimate” parliament elected fraudulently. Protests have erupted in Georgia for the third consecutive night, with demonstrators calling for EU accession talks to resume after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced their suspension. The prime minister, who has been strengthening ties with Russia, accused Brussels of “blackmail” and suspended talks for four years.
Zourabichvili, a critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, insisted that the parliament does not have the authority to elect her successor due to the alleged election fraud. The country’s election commission affirmed the victory of Georgian Dream, but concerns of fraud have been raised by EU and US officials. The Interior Ministry reported the arrest of 107 individuals during the protests in Tbilisi, where clashes with riot police occurred.
The US State Department has suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia in response to the government’s decision to halt EU accession talks. The State Department condemned the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters and stated that the EU is a key defense against Kremlin influence. Georgia’s aspirations to join the EU have been hindered by laws targeting “foreign agents” and LGBTQ rights, which the bloc views as violations of human rights. Despite the tensions, Georgia remains independent from Russia since gaining independence in 1991, following a brief conflict in 2008 over Moscow-backed territories.
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