TBILISI – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the European Union of interfering in the country’s internal affairs after protesters attempted to enter the presidential palace during demonstrations on Saturday, which coincided with local elections. Security forces used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse crowds and detained five activists as opposition supporters rallied in Tbilisi
Kobakhidze said roughly 7,000 people joined the protest and alleged that the group’s actions amounted to an “attempt to overthrow the constitutional order,” which he claimed ultimately failed.“They moved to action, began the overthrow attempt, it failed, and then they started distancing themselves from it,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by Interpress. “No one will escape responsibility. This includes political responsibility.”
Kobakhidze accused EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński of “meddling” and called on him to publicly condemn the demonstrations. “You know that specific people from abroad have even expressed direct support for all this,” he said. “In this context, the European Union ambassador to Georgia bears special responsibility.”The EU has not yet responded to the latest claims, but in July, its diplomatic service dismissed similar accusations as “disinformation and baseless,” rejecting assertions that the bloc sought to destabilize Georgia or impose “non-traditional values.”
The governing Georgian Dream party announced victory in all municipalities after the local polls, which were boycotted by the two largest opposition blocs. Opposition groups have staged regular protests since October last year, alleging electoral fraud in the 2024 parliamentary elections, charges the ruling party denies. Once known for its strong pro-Western orientation, Georgia’s ties with the EU and its Western allies have grown increasingly strained since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.