Public protest ongoing in Georgia’s capital, other regions against Govt’s EU integration suspension

Public protests are continuing on Monday outside the Georgian Parliament in the country’s capital Tbilisi and other regions in protest of the Government’s decision last week to delay European Union accession negotiations until 2028.

Several educational institutions across the country suspended classes earlier today and joined the wave of protests. Students from the cities and towns of Poti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri in western Georgia and Akhaltsikhe from the eastern part of the country are also engaged in strikes.

• Several educational institutions in Tbilisi, other regions suspend classes in protest against “delayed” EU integration

The country’s Interior Ministry on Monday said law enforcement officers were mobilised to “maintain the rule of law throughout Georgia”, adding “cases of illegal expression of protest” could be observed from the side of rally participants outside the Parliament in Tbilisi.

Some of the gathered people have damaged infrastructure on the ground, [while] participants of the rally have various dangerous items with them which may be used for violent actions, similarly to the practice of the past few days”, the statement said.

Georgian legislation protects the right to assembly, demonstration and expression, as well as defines [acceptable] forms of protest in order to protect public order and security”, it added.

The Ministry warned protesters that “illegal actions would be followed by “appropriate legal response from the police”.

Protesters in the country’s Black Sea city of Batumi have told Georgian media they are continuing to “fight for Georgia’s European future”.