Georgia

The EU suspended Georgia\u2019s membership application process indefinitely in June after parliament passed a law requiring organisations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as \u201cpursuing the interests of a foreign power.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This piece of legislation was critiqued by opposition as similar to a Russian law used to discredit organisations critical of the government.\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733391964,"updatedAt":1733397124,"publishedAt":1733396829,"firstPublishedAt":1733396829,"lastPublishedAt":1733396829,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/89\/16\/78\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_40eb6c96-a232-545d-aec7-a3eaa3ae09b5-8891678.jpg","altText":"Demonstrators hold Georgian and Ukrainian national flags during anti-government protest in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. 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The arrest follows a series of opposition office raids and protests over delays in EU membership.","summary":"Georgian opposition leader Nika Gvaramia was arrested by police during a raid on the Droa party office in Tbilisi, where he was tackled and taken away unconscious. The arrest follows a series of opposition office raids and protests over delays in EU membership.","keySentence":"","url":"georgian-opposition-leader-arrested-during-police-raid","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/04\/georgian-opposition-leader-arrested-during-police-raid","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"","htmlText":"","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733334578,"updatedAt":1733377479,"publishedAt":1733341725,"firstPublishedAt":1733341725,"lastPublishedAt":1733341725,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/89\/09\/88\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_ebb5e87b-3385-5eb1-83ef-5f10cf01ee6e-8890988.jpg","altText":"Nika Gvaramia leader of Coalition for Changes","caption":"Nika Gvaramia leader of Coalition for Changes","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Zurab 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1 GEORGIA PROTEST CLASHES","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Sixth night of clashes in Georgian capital after EU talks suspended","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Sixth night of clashes in Georgian capital after EU talks suspended","titleListing2":"Sixth night of clashes in Georgian capital after EU talks suspended","leadin":"Protesters clashed with police in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, for the sixth consecutive night on Tuesday, following the government's decision last week to suspend negotiations for European Union membership.","summary":"Protesters clashed with police in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, for the sixth consecutive night on Tuesday, following the government's decision last week to suspend negotiations for European Union membership.","keySentence":"","url":"sixth-night-of-clashes-in-georgian-capital-after-eu-talks-suspended","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/04\/sixth-night-of-clashes-in-georgian-capital-after-eu-talks-suspended","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"","htmlText":"","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733302523,"updatedAt":1733318234,"publishedAt":1733318218,"firstPublishedAt":1733318218,"lastPublishedAt":1733318218,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/44\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_fd345bac-64a2-5320-907f-1ecf6d9f63cd-8889344.jpg","altText":"Sixth night of clashes in Georgian capital after EU talks suspended","caption":"Sixth night of clashes in Georgian capital after EU talks 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300 ARRESTED IN GEORGIA AS MASS PROTESTS CONTINUE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"More than 300 arrested in Georgia after six nights of pro-EU protests ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"More than 300 arrested in Georgia after six nights of pro-EU protests ","titleListing2":"More than 300 arrested in Georgia after six nights of mass pro-EU protests ","leadin":"Allegations of police violence have emerged as citizens protest the recently re-elected Georgian Dream party's decision to suspend EU accession talks.","summary":"Allegations of police violence have emerged as citizens protest the recently re-elected Georgian Dream party's decision to suspend EU accession talks.","keySentence":"","url":"more-than-300-arrested-in-georgia-after-six-nights-of-pro-eu-protests","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/04\/more-than-300-arrested-in-georgia-after-six-nights-of-pro-eu-protests","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Over 300 people have been detained in Georgia since protests erupted six nights ago over the ruling Georgian Dream's decision to halt the country's negotiations to join the EU.\n\nImages widely circulated on social media show injured Georgians in the streets and violent clashes between protesters and police officers using tear gas.\n\nOne photo shows a woman holding a Georgian flag being hit by a stream of water from a water cannon. Others show protesters firing pyrotechnics towards the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi. \n\nPrime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party has accused opposition politicians of orchestrating the violence, and blames them for protesters' injuries. \n\nHowever, on Tuesday, Georgia's public ombudsman described the violence as torture and brutality, accusing the police of using excessive force against the demonstrators. \n\nVolker T\u00fcrk, the UN's top human rights official, has called the use of force against protesters \"extremely worrying\".\n\nRobin Dunnigan, the US ambassador to Georgia, said that the embassy had witnessed \"police violence\" and called on Georgian Dream to reconsider its decision to not pursue EU accession negotiations. \n\nIn a public address on Tuesday, Kobakhidze acknowledged there were incidents of violence during the first two days of protests but insisted the situation was under control and that \"appropriate measures had been taken in the following days to prevent further escalation\u201d.\n\nHe also praised the response of police officers, saying that the response had met \"higher standards than those seen in Europe and the USA\u201d. \n\nGeorgia's EU bid halted\n\nGeorgian Dream's announcement that it would be halting accession talks to the EU on the 28 November came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution critical of the result of October's election, in which the party secured a parliamentary majority.\n\nThe result of the election has been hotly contested by the country's opposition groups and many international observers, who claim that the electoral process was unfair and rigged by various methods.\n\nThe EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after Georgian Dream passed its so-called \"foreign agents\" bill, which critics say mimics legislation passed in Russia. \n\nPolling has shown that a majority of Georgians are in favour of the country joining the EU. \n\nDuring its election campaign, Georgian Dream insisted the party was in favour of joining the bloc, but said that they wanted to join under their own terms. \n\nAfter announcing his government was suspending the accession process, Kobakhidze said it wasn't true that Georgia's European integration had been halted, with the party only rejecting \"the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country\u2019s European integration\u201d.\n\nNevertheless, the party's declaration has been met with widespread concern in the West. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and enlargement commissioner Marta Kos released a joint statement on Sunday noting that the decision was a \"shift\" from the policies of \"all previous Georgian governments\".\n\nThey reiterated that the EU was concerned about the \"continuous democratic backsliding of the country\u201d and urged Georgian authorities to \u201crespect the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression\".\n\nThe US State Department issued a statement on Saturday condemning Georgia Dream's decision and announcing it was suspending its strategic partnership with Georgia.\n\nFor his part, Kobakhidze has claimed that Georgian Dream is waiting for the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump in January next year to begin a \"complete reset\" of US-Georgia relations.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Over 300 people have been detained in Georgia since protests erupted six nights ago over the ruling Georgian Dream's decision to halt the country's negotiations to join the EU.<\/p>\n<p>Images widely circulated on social media show injured Georgians in the streets and violent clashes between protesters and police officers using tear gas.<\/p>\n<p>One photo shows a woman holding a Georgian flag being hit by a stream of water from a water cannon. Others show protesters firing pyrotechnics towards the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi. <\/p>\n<p>Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party has accused opposition politicians of orchestrating the violence, and blames them for protesters' injuries. <\/p>\n<p>However, on Tuesday, Georgia's public ombudsman described the violence as torture and brutality, accusing the police of using excessive force against the demonstrators. <\/p>\n<p>Volker T\u00fcrk, the UN's top human rights official, has called the use of force against protesters \"extremely worrying\".<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666015625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//93//16//808x539_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg/" alt=\"Demonstrators stand under running water from a fire-pump used by police rallying outside the parliament, in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/384x256_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/640x426_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/750x500_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/828x551_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/1080x719_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/1200x799_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/1920x1279_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Demonstrators stand under running water from a fire-pump used by police rallying outside the parliament, in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Pavel Bednyakov\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Robin Dunnigan, the US ambassador to Georgia, said that the embassy had witnessed \"police violence\" and called on Georgian Dream to reconsider its decision to not pursue EU accession negotiations. <\/p>\n<p>In a public address on Tuesday, Kobakhidze acknowledged there were incidents of violence during the first two days of protests but insisted the situation was under control and that \"appropriate measures had been taken in the following days to prevent further escalation\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He also praised the response of police officers, saying that the response had met \"higher standards than those seen in Europe and the USA\u201d. <\/p>\n<h2>Georgia's EU bid halted<\/h2><p>Georgian Dream's announcement that it would be halting accession talks to the EU on the 28 November came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution critical of the result of October's election, in which the party secured a parliamentary majority.<\/p>\n<p>The result of the election has been hotly contested by the country's opposition groups and many international observers, who claim that the electoral process was unfair and rigged by various methods.<\/p>\n<p>The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after Georgian Dream passed its so-called \"foreign agents\" bill, which critics say mimics legislation passed in Russia. <\/p>\n<p>Polling has shown that a majority of Georgians are in favour of the country joining the EU. <\/p>\n<p>During its election campaign, Georgian Dream insisted the party was in favour of joining the bloc, but said that they wanted to join under their own terms. <\/p>\n<p>After announcing his government was suspending the accession process, Kobakhidze said it wasn't true that Georgia's European integration had been halted, with the party only rejecting \"the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country\u2019s European integration\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8883180\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//11//30//president-salome-zourabichvili-slams-georgias-government-as-illegitimate/">President Salome Zourabichvili slams Georgia's government as 'illegitimate'<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, the party's declaration has been met with widespread concern in the West. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and enlargement commissioner Marta Kos released a joint statement on Sunday noting that the decision was a \"shift\" from the policies of \"all previous Georgian governments\".<\/p>\n<p>They reiterated that the EU was concerned about the \"continuous democratic backsliding of the country\u201d and urged Georgian authorities to \u201crespect the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression\".<\/p>\n<p>The US State Department issued a statement on Saturday condemning Georgia Dream's decision and announcing it was suspending its strategic partnership with Georgia.<\/p>\n<p>For his part, Kobakhidze has claimed that Georgian Dream is waiting for the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump in January next year to begin a \"complete reset\" of US-Georgia relations.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733301866,"updatedAt":1733336657,"publishedAt":1733310407,"firstPublishedAt":1733310407,"lastPublishedAt":1733336376,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6dec2e27-0e5b-542a-82e1-16f66b86e0c2-8889316.jpg","altText":"A demonstrator holds a Georgian national flag while being sprayed by a water cannon outside the parliament during a protest, in Tbilisi, Georgia, early Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.","caption":"A demonstrator holds a Georgian national flag while being sprayed by a water cannon outside the parliament during a protest, in Tbilisi, Georgia, early Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/93\/16\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0794c072-1eb8-5e8c-9b1a-57c95d7629b0-8889316.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":682}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2940,"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","title":"Tamsin Paternoster","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia politics","titleRaw":"Georgia politics"},{"id":105,"slug":"european-union","urlSafeValue":"european-union","title":"European Union","titleRaw":"European Union"},{"id":27110,"slug":"protestas","urlSafeValue":"protestas","title":"Protests","titleRaw":"Protests"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":1},{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2692592},{"id":2691656},{"id":2696092}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"VkO6HODPKyE"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/24\/12\/04\/en\/241204_E3SU_57192611_57192638_35000_183858_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":20000,"filesizeBytes":0,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/24\/12\/04\/en\/241204_E3SU_57192611_57192638_35000_183858_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":20000,"filesizeBytes":0,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":124,"urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","url":"\/news\/europe\/georgia"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80222003","80222006","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/04\/more-than-300-arrested-in-georgia-after-six-nights-of-pro-eu-protests","lastModified":1733336376},{"id":2693232,"cid":8886286,"versionId":4,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241203_E3SU_57175343","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GEORGIA SCHOOL DEMO","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Canada to impose sanctions against those suppressing Georgia protests","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Protests in Georgia spread beyond capital as country is rocked by days of violent demonstrations","leadin":"Georgia sees its fifth night of consecutive protests against the government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union.","summary":"Georgia sees its fifth night of consecutive protests against the government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union.","keySentence":"","url":"canada-to-impose-sanctions-against-those-suppressing-georgia-protests","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/02\/canada-to-impose-sanctions-against-those-suppressing-georgia-protests","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"At a press conference with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, Canadian Foreign Minister M\u00e9lanie Jolie expressed Canada's solidarity with the Georgian people, and said they \"are very concerned about what Russia is trying to do in Georgia.\"\n\nOn Sunday, the three Baltic states announced they would impose national sanctions against those \"who participate in the suppression of legitimate protests in Georgia.\"\n\nJolie said Canada would follow suit and \"will sanction key individuals and also businesses, entities that are involved in either human rights violations or corruption,\" based on their own sanctions regime.\n\nIt comes as protesters returned to the steps of Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi on Monday for a fifth night of demonstrations after the government, who were denounced by its critics for allegedly rigging its victory results, decided to halt progress towards European Union membership.\n\nProtesters, who held posters denouncing Russia and carried EU and Georgian flags, threw rocks at the police, to which officers responded with water cannons.\n\nOn Monday, Georgia\u2019s Interior Ministry said 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three arrested on criminal charges. 113 police officers needed medical treatment while three others were hospitalized after clashes with protesters, who hurled fireworks at police.\n\nGeorgia's President Salome Zourabichvili, who has been vocal about her support of the protests, said many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces, including broken bones and eye sockets. She added that some people were subject to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities.\n\nOn social media platform X, the pro-EU head of state said \"this is an attack on freedom of expression and the right to protest - basic rights violated, not to mention the way people are arrested and treated once detained.\"\n\nThe protests have gradually been spreading beyond the capital, with crowds taking to streets of regional towns and cities, such as Batumi, Kutaisi, and Rustavi. Schools and universities across the country also held strikes and walkouts. \n\nAt a briefing at the Government House on Monday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that the European integration process has not been postponed, but instead \"will continue with maximum intensity.\u201d\n\nThe Prime Minister said diplomats received \u201cclear instructions that Georgia\u2019s European integration process must continue with maximum intensity,\u201d during a meeting at the foreign ministry. \"This is reality. Everything else is simply falsehood deliberately spread by the radical opposition and its associated media.\" \n\nKobakhidze added that the Head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Pascal Alizard, wrote to Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili about future cooperation following the first session of the new parliament.\n\nHe said the letter also emphasised that the elections were held under competitive conditions as they \"offered citizens a broad choice, were well-administered, and candidates had the freedom to conduct campaigns.\" \n\n","htmlText":"<p>At a press conference with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, Canadian Foreign Minister M\u00e9lanie Jolie expressed Canada's solidarity with the Georgian people, and said they \"are very concerned about what Russia is trying to do in Georgia.\"<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, the three <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//02//baltic-states-slap-sanctions-on-georgian-officials-will-the-eu-follow-suit/">Baltic states<\/a> announced they would impose national sanctions against those \"who participate in the suppression of legitimate protests in Georgia.\"<\/p>\n<p>Jolie said Canada would follow suit and \"will sanction key individuals and also businesses, entities that are involved in either human rights violations or corruption,\" based on their own sanctions regime.<\/p>\n<p>It comes as protesters returned to the steps of Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi on Monday for a fifth night of demonstrations after the government, who were denounced by its critics for allegedly rigging its victory results, decided to halt progress towards European Union membership.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//62//86//808x539_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg/" alt=\"A demonstrator draped in a Georgian national flag sits in front of police rallying outside the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/384x256_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/640x427_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/750x500_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/828x552_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/1080x720_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/1200x800_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/1920x1281_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A demonstrator draped in a Georgian national flag sits in front of police rallying outside the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Protesters, who held posters denouncing Russia and carried EU and Georgian flags, threw rocks at the police, to which officers responded with water cannons.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, Georgia\u2019s Interior Ministry said 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three arrested on criminal charges. 113 police officers needed medical treatment while three others were hospitalized after clashes with protesters, who hurled fireworks at police.<\/p>\n<p>Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili, who has been vocal about her support of the protests, said many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces, including broken bones and eye sockets. She added that some people were subject to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities.<\/p>\n<p>On social media platform X, the pro-EU head of state said \"this is an attack on freedom of expression and the right to protest - basic rights violated, not to mention the way people are arrested and treated once detained.\"<\/p>\n<p>The protests have gradually been spreading beyond the capital, with crowds taking to streets of regional towns and cities, such as Batumi, Kutaisi, and Rustavi. Schools and universities across the country also held strikes and walkouts. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//62//86//808x539_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg/" alt=\"Police block a street to stop protesters rallying against the government&#39;s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union in Tbilisi, Georgia, Dec. 3, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/384x256_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/640x427_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/750x500_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/828x552_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/1080x720_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/1200x800_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/1920x1281_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Police block a street to stop protesters rallying against the government&#39;s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union in Tbilisi, Georgia, Dec. 3, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>At a briefing at the Government House on Monday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that the European integration process has not been postponed, but instead \"will continue with maximum intensity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Prime Minister said diplomats received \u201cclear instructions that Georgia\u2019s European integration process must continue with maximum intensity,\u201d during a meeting at the foreign ministry. \"This is reality. Everything else is simply falsehood deliberately spread by the radical opposition and its associated media.\" <\/p>\n<p>Kobakhidze added that the Head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Pascal Alizard, wrote to Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili about future cooperation following the first session of the new parliament.<\/p>\n<p>He said the letter also emphasised that the elections were held under competitive conditions as they \"offered citizens a broad choice, were well-administered, and candidates had the freedom to conduct campaigns.\" <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733173744,"updatedAt":1733229723,"publishedAt":1733182625,"firstPublishedAt":1733182625,"lastPublishedAt":1733229421,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_c4196bbe-2421-556f-903d-36fe51b9db5a-8886286.jpg","altText":"Demonstrators stand atop of a tomb under running water from a water cannon rallying outside the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.","caption":"Demonstrators stand atop of a tomb under running water from a water cannon rallying outside the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a1415b93-fd0a-5259-a1da-c2efcfabc357-8886286.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_c39b2b1b-3c6b-59d1-a072-3c83936122e7-8886286.jpg","altText":"A demonstrator draped in a Georgian national flag sits in front of police rallying outside the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.","caption":"A demonstrator draped in a Georgian national flag sits in front of police rallying outside the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/62\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_fab668ba-2620-5fe7-804c-83d33f338f2a-8886286.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":124,"slug":"georgia","urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","titleRaw":"Georgia"},{"id":105,"slug":"european-union","urlSafeValue":"european-union","title":"European Union","titleRaw":"European Union"},{"id":27110,"slug":"protestas","urlSafeValue":"protestas","title":"Protests","titleRaw":"Protests"},{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia politics","titleRaw":"Georgia politics"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":2}],"related":[{"id":2689722},{"id":2695128}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"MC7CpRzaH5M"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/03\/en\/241203_NWSU_57176370_57176395_71760_081212_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":20000,"filesizeBytes":0,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/03\/en\/241203_NWSU_57176370_57176395_71760_081212_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":20000,"filesizeBytes":0,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":124,"urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","url":"\/news\/europe\/georgia"},"town":{"id":4055,"urlSafeValue":"tbilisi","title":"Tbilisi"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80022015","80023001","80122006","80222006","84051001","84052001","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","education","education_general","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","negative_news_financial","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/03\/canada-to-impose-sanctions-against-those-suppressing-georgia-protests","lastModified":1733229421},{"id":2692652,"cid":8884998,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241202_NCSU_57169538","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC 2 GEORGIA PROTESTS WATER CANNONS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Protests over halted EU progress grow despite police crackdown","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Protests over halted EU progress grow despite police crackdown","titleListing2":"Protests over halted EU progress grow despite police crackdown","leadin":"Demonstrations on the streets of Tbilisi intensified through the night into early Monday, 2 December.","summary":"Demonstrations on the streets of Tbilisi intensified through the night into early Monday, 2 December.","keySentence":"","url":"protests-over-halted-eu-progress-grow-despite-police-crackdown","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/02\/protests-over-halted-eu-progress-grow-despite-police-crackdown","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Protesters expressed anger over the ruling party's decision to halt progress toward European Union membership. Police used tear gas and water cannons in an effort to disperse the crowds.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Protesters expressed anger over the ruling party's decision to halt progress toward European Union membership. Police used tear gas and water cannons in an effort to disperse the crowds.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733135145,"updatedAt":1733140446,"publishedAt":1733138443,"firstPublishedAt":1733138443,"lastPublishedAt":1733138443,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/49\/98\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_bdff484c-49f3-5fe6-92d2-205595bdca06-8884998.jpg","altText":"Protests over halt on EU progress grow despite police crackdown","caption":"Protests over halt on EU progress grow despite police crackdown","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"EBU","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":27110,"slug":"protestas","urlSafeValue":"protestas","title":"Protests","titleRaw":"Protests"},{"id":28538,"slug":"elections-results","urlSafeValue":"elections-results","title":"elections results","titleRaw":"elections 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FOURTH NIGHT PROTESTS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Protests in Georgia continue after EU accession talks halted","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Protests in Georgia continue after EU accession talks halted","titleListing2":"Fourth night of protests under way across Georgia after EU accession talks suspension","leadin":"Officials in the country say at least 44 people have been hospitalised in increasingly violent clashes between police and protesters as President Salome Zourabichvili says she won\u2019t step down when her term ends.","summary":"Officials in the country say at least 44 people have been hospitalised in increasingly violent clashes between police and protesters as President Salome Zourabichvili says she won\u2019t step down when her term ends.","keySentence":"","url":"fourth-night-of-protests-across-georgia-after-eu-accession-talks-suspension","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/01\/fourth-night-of-protests-across-georgia-after-eu-accession-talks-suspension","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"A fourth consecutive night of protests is under way across Georgia against the government's decision to suspend European Union accession talks.\n\nOfficials in the country say at least 44 people have been hospitalised in increasingly violent demonstrations.\n\nThe Interior Ministry said that 27 protesters, 16 police officers and one media worker were taken to hospital.\n\nTens of thousands of protesters, mostly gathered outside parliament in the capital Tbilisi, threw stones and fireworks at squads of police officers.\n\nPolice officers used water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray in a bid to disperse crowds.\n\nPrime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned that, \"any violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.\"\n\n\"Neither will those politicians who hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups to severe punishment escape responsibility,\" he said at a briefing on Sunday.\n\nHe insisted however that Georgia's European integration had not been halted.\n\n\"The only thing we have rejected is the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country\u2019s European integration.\"\n\nDisputed parliamentary elections\n\nThe unrest began four days ago when the government, headed by the populist Georgian Dream party, announced it was suspending EU accession talks until at least 2028.\n\nThat was in response to a European Parliament resolution that criticised the 26 October parliamentary elections, which saw the Georgian Dream re-elected as neither free nor fair.\n\nIt said the election represented another manifestation of Georgia\u2019s continued democratic backsliding \"for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible.\"\n\nInternational observers say they saw instances of violence, bribery and double voting at the polls, prompting some EU lawmakers to demand a re-run.\n\nOn Sunday, the EU\u2019s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and enlargement commissioner Marta Kos released a joint statement on the decision to suspend membership negotiations.\n\n\"We note that this announcement marks a shift from the policies of all previous Georgian governments and the European aspirations of the vast majority of the Georgian people, as enshrined in the Constitution of Georgia,\" the statement said.\n\nThe EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc's recommendations, but Brussels put that process on hold earlier this year after the passage of a controversial 'foreign influence' law, which was widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.\n\nCritics have also accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.\n\nMeanwhile, Kobakhidze has said President Salome Zourabivhili must vacate her post when her mandate ends later this month.\n\nThe pro-EU head of state has vowed to stay on to support the protesters and says the \"illegitimate\" government has no authority to select her successor.\n\nIn an interview with Euronews, Zourabichvili said the scale of the protests across Georgia was unprecedented, primarily because they have spread beyond the political centre, Tbilisi.\n\n\"Every day there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions.\"\n\n\"We are confronting something very new and we are part of something very new that is happening also geopolitically, I would say, where Russia not winning easily over Ukraine over these past two and a half years is now trying to win over the European Union with electoral war. I would say it's an electoral war.\" \n\n\"They have carried this electoral war in Georgia and we are fighting against it with constitutional means,\" Zourabichvili said, addressing claims that Russia had meddled in the elections, which saw the Georgian Dream stay in power.\n\n\"They're fighting the same electoral war in Romania. And they fought it in Moldova \u2026 So it's a strategy of Russia.\"\n\n","htmlText":"<p>A fourth consecutive night of protests is under way across Georgia against the government's decision to suspend European Union accession talks.<\/p>\n<p>Officials in the country say at least 44 people have been hospitalised in increasingly violent demonstrations.<\/p>\n<p>The Interior Ministry said that 27 protesters, 16 police officers and one media worker were taken to hospital.<\/p>\n<p>Tens of thousands of protesters, mostly gathered outside parliament in the capital Tbilisi, threw stones and fireworks at squads of police officers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6667348190554079\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//42//66//808x539_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg/" alt=\"A demonstrator uses firecrackers against police during a rally in Tbilisi, 2 December, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/384x256_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/640x427_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/750x500_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/828x552_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/1080x720_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/1200x800_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/1920x1280_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A demonstrator uses firecrackers against police during a rally in Tbilisi, 2 December, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Police officers used water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray in a bid to disperse crowds.<\/p>\n<p>Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned that, \"any violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"Neither will those politicians who hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups to severe punishment escape responsibility,\" he said at a briefing on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>He insisted however that Georgia's European integration had not been halted.<\/p>\n<p>\"The only thing we have rejected is the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country\u2019s European integration.\"<\/p>\n<h2>Disputed parliamentary elections<\/h2><p>The unrest began four days ago when the government, headed by the populist Georgian Dream party, announced it was suspending EU accession talks until at least 2028.<\/p>\n<p>That was in response to a European Parliament resolution that criticised the 26 October parliamentary elections, which saw the Georgian Dream re-elected as neither free nor fair.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1863243272950325304\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It said the election represented another manifestation of Georgia\u2019s continued democratic backsliding \"for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible.\"<\/p>\n<p>International observers say they saw instances of violence, bribery and double voting at the polls, prompting some EU lawmakers to demand a re-run.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, the EU\u2019s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and enlargement commissioner Marta Kos released a joint statement on the decision to suspend membership negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>\"We note that this announcement marks a shift from the policies of all previous Georgian governments and the European aspirations of the vast majority of the Georgian people, as enshrined in the Constitution of Georgia,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n<p>The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc's recommendations, but Brussels put that process on hold earlier this year after the passage of a controversial 'foreign influence' law, which was widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have also accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Kobakhidze has said President Salome Zourabivhili must vacate her post when her mandate ends later this month.<\/p>\n<p>The pro-EU head of state has vowed to stay on to support the protesters and says the \"illegitimate\" government has no authority to select her successor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//42//66//808x539_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg/" alt=\"Demonstrators warm themselves by a fire during a rally in Tbilisi, 2 December, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/384x256_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/640x427_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/750x500_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/828x552_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/1080x720_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/1200x800_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/1920x1280_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Demonstrators warm themselves by a fire during a rally in Tbilisi, 2 December, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//11//30//president-salome-zourabichvili-slams-georgias-government-as-illegitimate/">In an interview with Euronews, Zourabichvili<\/a> said the scale of the protests across Georgia was unprecedented, primarily because they have spread beyond the political centre, Tbilisi.<\/p>\n<p>\"Every day there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"We are confronting something very new and we are part of something very new that is happening also geopolitically, I would say, where Russia not winning easily over Ukraine over these past two and a half years is now trying to win over the European Union with electoral war. I would say it's an electoral war.\" <\/p>\n<p>\"They have carried this electoral war in Georgia and we are fighting against it with constitutional means,\" Zourabichvili said, addressing claims that Russia had meddled in the elections, which saw the Georgian Dream stay in power.<\/p>\n<p>\"They're fighting the same electoral war in Romania. And they fought it in Moldova \u2026 So it's a strategy of Russia.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733085118,"updatedAt":1733129389,"publishedAt":1733091301,"firstPublishedAt":1733091301,"lastPublishedAt":1733129389,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6cbc83c4-09c0-5861-9d3b-56eb2d611ad5-8884266.jpg","altText":"Demonstrators use firecrackers against police during a rally in Tbilisi, 2 December, 2024","caption":"Demonstrators use firecrackers against police during a rally in Tbilisi, 2 December, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5184,"height":2915},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_eea01e81-cae9-5d2e-a3a8-c6ecee73a490-8884266.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4647,"height":3098},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/42\/66\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9b9e8015-3601-5f1c-be16-7a4e838ced15-8884266.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4891,"height":3261}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":124,"slug":"georgia","urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","titleRaw":"Georgia"},{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia 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THIRD NIGHT PROTEST","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Dozens in hospital after third night of violent protests in Georgia","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Dozens in hospital after third night of violent protests in Georgia","titleListing2":"Dozens in hospital after third night of violent protests in Georgia","leadin":"A third night of protests in against the government\u2019s decision to suspend negotiations to join the EU left 44 people in hospital, officials said Sunday.","summary":"A third night of protests in against the government\u2019s decision to suspend negotiations to join the EU left 44 people in hospital, officials said Sunday.","keySentence":"","url":"protests-continue-across-georgia-for-third-night-after-eu-accession-talks-suspension","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/01\/protests-continue-across-georgia-for-third-night-after-eu-accession-talks-suspension","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Tens of thousands of demonstrators had gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi on Saturday night, throwing stones and setting off fireworks. An effigy of the founder of the governing Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili \u2014 a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia \u2014 was burned in front of the legislature. \n\nGeorgia\u2019s Interior Ministry said Sunday that 27 protesters, 16 police and one media worker were hospitalised after police deployed water cannons and tear gas. \n\nPrime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned that \u201cany violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.\u201d\n\n\"Neither will those politicians who hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups to severe punishment escape responsibility,\u201d he said at a briefing on Sunday. \n\nHe said it wasn't true that Georgia\u2019s European integration had been halted. \"The only thing we have rejected is the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country\u2019s European integration.\u201d \n\nOn Saturday, he said that unspecified \u201cforeign entities\u201d wished to see the \u201cUkrainization\u201d of Georgia with a \u201cMaidan-style scenario\u201d \u2014 a reference to Ukraine\u2019s 2014 Maidan revolution that ousted Ukraine\u2019s Moscow-friendly president and unleashed a decade of momentous change for Ukraine, eventually leading to its current war with Russia.\n\nKobakhidze also dismissed the U.S. State Department\u2019s statement on Saturday that it was suspending its strategic partnership with Georgia. The statement condemned Georgia\u2019s decision to halt its efforts toward EU accession. \n\n\u201cYou can see that the outgoing administration is trying to leave the new administration with as difficult a legacy as possible. They are doing this regarding Ukraine, and now also concerning Georgia,\u201d Kobakhidze said of the U.S. \u201cThis will not have any fundamental significance. We will wait for the new administration and discuss everything with them.\u201d\n\nThe ruling Georgian Dream party\u2019s disputed victory in the Oct. 26 parliamentary election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgia\u2019s aspirations to join the EU, has sparked major demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.\n\nThe opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgia\u2019s former imperial master, with Moscow hoping to keep Tbilisi in its orbit.\n\nIn an interview with Euronews, Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili said the scale of the protests was unprecedented because they have spread beyond the capital, Tbilisi.\n\n\"Every day there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions, depending on which institution we are talking about,\" she said.\n\nShe also slammed the current government, headed by the populist Georgian Dream party, as \"illegitimate\".\n\n\"They are not recognised by anyone. They have not been recognised by the Georgian population, in the first place. They have not been recognised by the political forces in the country, because no opposition party has recognised them as winning these partly rigged elections and nobody has entered the Parliament. So it's one party, and an illegitimate Parliament.\"\n\nThe government\u2019s announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticising last month\u2019s vote as neither free nor fair. It said the election represented another manifestation of Georgia\u2019s continued democratic backsliding \u201cfor which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible.\u201d\n\nThe EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc\u2019s recommendations, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a \u201cforeign influence\u201d law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.\n\nEU lawmakers urged a re-run of the parliamentary vote within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration. They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government.\n\nThe Georgian prime minister denounced what he described as a \u201ccascade of insults\u201d from EU politicians and said that \u201cthe ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union.\u201d\n\nKobakhidze also said Georgia would reject any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028. \n\nCritics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and <LGBTQ+ rights.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Tens of thousands of demonstrators had gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi on Saturday night, throwing stones and setting off fireworks. An effigy of the founder of the governing Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili \u2014 a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia \u2014 was burned in front of the legislature. <\/p>\n<p>Georgia\u2019s Interior Ministry said Sunday that 27 protesters, 16 police and one media worker were hospitalised after police deployed water cannons and tear gas. <\/p>\n<p>Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned that \u201cany violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\"Neither will those politicians who hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups to severe punishment escape responsibility,\u201d he said at a briefing on Sunday. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//32//50//808x539_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg/" alt=\"Demonstrators fire firecrackers at police during a protest in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/384x256_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/640x427_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/750x500_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/828x552_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/1080x720_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/1200x800_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/1920x1280_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Demonstrators fire firecrackers at police during a protest in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>He said it wasn't true that Georgia\u2019s European integration had been halted. \"The only thing we have rejected is the shameful and offensive blackmail, which was, in fact, a significant obstacle to our country\u2019s European integration.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, he said that unspecified \u201cforeign entities\u201d wished to see the \u201cUkrainization\u201d of Georgia with a \u201cMaidan-style scenario\u201d \u2014 a reference to Ukraine\u2019s 2014 Maidan revolution that ousted Ukraine\u2019s Moscow-friendly president and unleashed a decade of momentous change for Ukraine, eventually leading to its current war with Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Kobakhidze also dismissed the U.S. State Department\u2019s statement on Saturday that it was suspending its strategic partnership with Georgia. The statement condemned Georgia\u2019s decision to halt its efforts toward EU accession. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can see that the outgoing administration is trying to leave the new administration with as difficult a legacy as possible. They are doing this regarding Ukraine, and now also concerning Georgia,\u201d Kobakhidze said of the U.S. \u201cThis will not have any fundamental significance. We will wait for the new administration and discuss everything with them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The ruling Georgian Dream party\u2019s disputed victory in the Oct. 26 parliamentary election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgia\u2019s aspirations to join the EU, has sparked major demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.<\/p>\n<p>The opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgia\u2019s former imperial master, with Moscow hoping to keep Tbilisi in its orbit.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//32//50//808x539_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg/" alt=\"A protester waves the Georgian and EU flags during a protest in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/384x256_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/640x427_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/750x500_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/828x552_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/1080x720_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/1200x800_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/1920x1280_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A protester waves the Georgian and EU flags during a protest in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//11//30//president-salome-zourabichvili-slams-georgias-government-as-illegitimate/">In an interview with Euronews, Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili<\/a> said the scale of the protests was unprecedented because they have spread beyond the capital, Tbilisi.<\/p>\n<p>\"Every day there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions, depending on which institution we are talking about,\" she said.<\/p>\n<p>She also slammed the current government, headed by the populist Georgian Dream party, as \"illegitimate\".<\/p>\n<p>\"They are not recognised by anyone. They have not been recognised by the Georgian population, in the first place. They have not been recognised by the political forces in the country, because no opposition party has recognised them as winning these partly rigged elections and nobody has entered the Parliament. So it's one party, and an illegitimate Parliament.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1862985848104358122\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The government\u2019s announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticising last month\u2019s vote as neither free nor fair. It said the election represented another manifestation of Georgia\u2019s continued democratic backsliding \u201cfor which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc\u2019s recommendations, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a \u201cforeign influence\u201d law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.<\/p>\n<p>EU lawmakers urged a re-run of the parliamentary vote within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration. They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government.<\/p>\n<p>The Georgian prime minister denounced what he described as a \u201ccascade of insults\u201d from EU politicians and said that \u201cthe ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kobakhidze also said Georgia would reject any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028. <\/p>\n<p>Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and &lt;LGBTQ+ rights.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1733017411,"updatedAt":1733059140,"publishedAt":1733019175,"firstPublishedAt":1733019175,"lastPublishedAt":1733059140,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_d6505ede-af72-5688-b219-b6104cbbfde1-8883250.jpg","altText":"Demonstrators use firecrackers against police during a protest in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024","caption":"Demonstrators use firecrackers against police during a protest in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4148,"height":2332},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_fd18905c-371f-510e-a6f8-a92f2aa19bc1-8883250.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5184,"height":3456},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/32\/50\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_4c2f5a67-4a53-5363-9783-ceff48d3ff9e-8883250.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5184,"height":3456}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":124,"slug":"georgia","urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","titleRaw":"Georgia"},{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia 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ZURABISHVILI ITWi","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"President Salome Zourabichvili slams Georgia's government as 'illegitimate'","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Georgia's president says government is 'illegitimate'","titleListing2":"Georgian president Salome Zourabichvilli calls government illegitimate: \"We are preparing the transition to new elections.\"","leadin":"In an interview with Euronews, Salome Zourabichvili talks about the current wave of unrest happening across Georgia and what could happen next.","summary":"In an interview with Euronews, Salome Zourabichvili talks about the current wave of unrest happening across Georgia and what could happen next.","keySentence":"","url":"president-salome-zourabichvili-slams-georgias-government-as-illegitimate","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/30\/president-salome-zourabichvili-slams-georgias-government-as-illegitimate","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Salome Zourabichvili was inaugurated as Georgia's first female president in 2018. While her role as head of state may be largely ceremonial, her personal politics aren't. \n\nShe's staunchly pro-Western, sees Georgia's future as part of the European Union and is keen to see her country move out of Russia's orbit. \n\nThat\u2019s put her in direct conflict with the Georgian Dream, the populist party that's headed Georgia's majority government since 2016 and whose critics say is pro-Russian.\n\nZourabichvili has publicly slammed some of the more contentious pieces of the party's legislation, refused to sign others into law, and now calls their rule \"illegitimate\" after disputed elections in October.\n\nEuropean observers on 26 October polling day say they witnessed instances of voter intimidation and bribery at the polls, and the opposition, which has subsequently boycotted parliament, claim Russia meddled in the electoral process to ensure the Kremlin-friendly Georgian Dream would win.\n\nThe EU slammed the process and demanded a rerun. In response, Georgian Dream said it suspended accession talks until at least 2028.\n\nThat decision has sparked a wave of unrest across the country, which Zourabichvili sees as unprecedented. In an interview with Euronews, she explains more about what's happening now and, more importantly, what happens next.\n\nEuronews: Do you think the current Georgian government is legitimate?\n\nSalome Zourabichvili: Clearly not. Because the elections that led to this parliament and the government are not legitimate. They are not recognised by anyone. They have not been recognised by the Georgian population in the first place. \n\nThey have not been recognised by the political forces in the country because no opposition party has recognised them as winning these partly rigged elections, and nobody has entered the Parliament. So it's one party and an illegitimate parliament. \n\nMaybe more importantly, our Western democratic partners have, until now, not recognised them, and more than one month has gone by. The European Parliament has said that these elections were neither free nor fair, and they are calling for new elections as we are calling here \u2014 for new elections. \n\nThe last, very provocative decision of this illegal, illegitimate government to turn its back on the European Union and turn its front towards Russia is something that has stirred an immense protest movement in the country that is not stopping. \n\nEvery day, there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions, depending on which institution we are talking about. \n\nBut basically, the whole public service is falling apart in the country because people do not accept the decision of the illegitimate government to take an illegitimate direction for this country. The only ones to recognise, approve, and congratulate them are President (Vladimir) Putin of Russia and the Russian Parliament.\n\nEuronews: What do you think the European Union can do for Georgia right now?\n\nZourabichvili: The signal of not recognising these elections is very important. The resolution of the European Parliament is extremely important. I know there is a statement from the 27 members that is in preparation for this situation. \n\nThere are measures that are in preparation. What we need is strong support for the new elections. We are not preparing for a revolution. We are preparing the transition to new elections, because that's the stable way for this country to go forward and to go back to the European path. That's what the people are demanding on the streets. \n\nThey are demanding two things: they want to keep their European future and they want new elections in order to have a stable, legitimate government in this country. I am the only independent institution left in the country that is not ruled by one party and one man. \n\nI am also the president as mandated by the Constitution \u2014 the president until a new president is inaugurated. And since the new president is to be elected by a parliament and the parliament is illegitimate, the newly elected or so-called elected president cannot be inaugurated. And my mandate, hence, stands. \n\nSo, we are in a transition period. It's very important that this transition is very stable. People around me, from civil society and from the political parties, are trying with our European partners and with our American partners. Trying to lead this very stable transition. \n\nAnd what is very important is that beyond what I've said about the public service is in dissent, there is also the fact that all the cities in Georgia have protests, which in my memory, has never happened. It was always Tbilisi that was the centre of everything. Today, all the cities have seen demonstrations. And it's touching the economy. \n\nBusinesses that have always been in this country are very loyal to any government, and any regime has seen today many big businesses expressing their protests because clearly for them too. The European purse is the only one that they want to see for this country.\n\nEuronews: What is the position of the country's security forces and the justice system?\n\nZourabichvili: The justice system is very interesting because, basically, one of the main problems this country has had with the European Union these last years was that we do not have an independent justice system. \n\nI have introduced a plea in the Constitutional Court against the reading of the elections on which they have not even met for the time being. But we have to try all the levels. That's the constitutional way to do things. And there is always hope. But it could always be that some members of these high courts at one point understand that the stability of the country is in their hands and the fate of the country. \n\nSo we have to try to put pressure on them for security forces and describe the police as on the side of the citizens because it's normal police that have been trained, and the black guys are serving their own masters. And the \"robocops\" are a state instrument that will go where the state will go. So that's what we have to watch. \n\nThen there is the army that is very quiet and has to remain quiet but is very clearly on the side of pro-Western forces because they have been trained, they have been formed, they have been equipped over these past decades. \n\nTherefore, together with Americans and European partners, they are involved in international missions abroad. So it's very clear they are suffering a lot when they're told that suddenly their friends are no longer their friends. \n\nEuronews: There are some parallels between what is happening now in Georgia and the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine 11 years ago. Do you see any connections?\n\nZourabichvili: I think it's very different because Georgians are not Ukrainians. We have many things in common because we have basically been confronting the same enemy. But things are very different because the Georgian character is very different, and the dissolution of the state institutions we are witnessing now, including the church in which we are hearing dissenting voices, which is unheard of, is something that is very specific. Even in Georgia, we have not seen that earlier. \n\nSo we are confronting something very new, and we are part of something very new that is also happening geopolitically, I would say, where Russia, not winning easily over Ukraine over these past two and a half years, is now trying to win over the European Union with electoral war. I would say it's an electoral war. They have carried this electoral war in Georgia, and we are fighting against it with constitutional means. \n\nThey're fighting the same electoral war in Romania. And they have floated in Moldova, except that Moldova was saved by the diaspora. And in our case, we were not allowed to use the votes of our just for our members, which are numerous. So it's a strategy of Russia. \n\nAnd it's very important that the European Union understands that it is a hybrid strategy to win over countries that do not want to go towards Russia through these maybe more discreet ways. But clearly, in Georgia, where we have a long experience of Russia trying to take over this country and have been very resilient to that, we are going to be resilient and ensure that we prevail. The will of the people.\n\nEuronews: So you're saying Romania is a more similar case?\n\nZourabichvili: Similar because it's different tricks and different systems. And that's what shows the systemic approach that is very adapted to each country. \n\nBut the emergence of these pro-Russian leaders suddenly that nobody expected should be something that our European partners should think about because that's the way Russia is trying to keep some of its influence. However, we see that Russia is also losing in different places, such as Syria.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Salome Zourabichvili was inaugurated as Georgia's first female president in 2018. While her role as head of state may be largely ceremonial, her personal politics aren't. <\/p>\n<p>She's staunchly pro-Western, sees Georgia's future as part of the European Union and is keen to see her country move out of Russia's orbit. <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s put her in direct conflict with the Georgian Dream, the populist party that's headed Georgia's majority government since 2016 and whose critics say is pro-Russian.<\/p>\n<p>Zourabichvili has publicly slammed some of the more contentious pieces of the party's legislation, refused to sign others into law, and now calls their rule \"illegitimate\" after disputed elections in October.<\/p>\n<p>European observers on 26 October polling day say they witnessed instances of voter intimidation and bribery at the polls, and the opposition, which has subsequently boycotted parliament, claim Russia meddled in the electoral process to ensure the Kremlin-friendly Georgian Dream would win.<\/p>\n<p>The EU slammed the process and demanded a rerun. In response, Georgian Dream said it suspended accession talks until at least 2028.<\/p>\n<p>That decision has sparked a wave of unrest across the country, which Zourabichvili sees as unprecedented. In an interview with Euronews, she explains more about what's happening now and, more importantly, what happens next.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Euronews: Do you think the current Georgian government is legitimate?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Salome Zourabichvili: Clearly not. Because the elections that led to this parliament and the government are not legitimate. They are not recognised by anyone. They have not been recognised by the Georgian population in the first place. <\/p>\n<p>They have not been recognised by the political forces in the country because no opposition party has recognised them as winning these partly rigged elections, and nobody has entered the Parliament. So it's one party and an illegitimate parliament. <\/p>\n<p>Maybe more importantly, our Western democratic partners have, until now, not recognised them, and more than one month has gone by. The European Parliament has said that these elections were neither free nor fair, and they are calling for new elections as we are calling here \u2014 for new elections. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666586306653809\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//31//80//808x539_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg/" alt=\"Demonstrators use firecrackers against police outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/384x256_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/640x427_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/750x500_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/828x552_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1080x720_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1200x800_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1920x1280_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Demonstrators use firecrackers against police outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The last, very provocative decision of this illegal, illegitimate government to turn its back on the European Union and turn its front towards Russia is something that has stirred an immense protest movement in the country that is not stopping. <\/p>\n<p>Every day, there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions, depending on which institution we are talking about. <\/p>\n<p>But basically, the whole public service is falling apart in the country because people do not accept the decision of the illegitimate government to take an illegitimate direction for this country. The only ones to recognise, approve, and congratulate them are President (Vladimir) Putin of Russia and the Russian Parliament.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Euronews: What do you think the European Union can do for Georgia right now?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Zourabichvili: The signal of not recognising these elections is very important. The resolution of the European Parliament is extremely important. I know there is a statement from the 27 members that is in preparation for this situation. <\/p>\n<p>There are measures that are in preparation. What we need is strong support for the new elections. We are not preparing for a revolution. We are preparing the transition to new elections, because that's the stable way for this country to go forward and to go back to the European path. That's what the people are demanding on the streets. <\/p>\n<p>They are demanding two things: they want to keep their European future and they want new elections in order to have a stable, legitimate government in this country. I am the only independent institution left in the country that is not ruled by one party and one man. <\/p>\n<p>I am also the president as mandated by the Constitution \u2014 the president until a new president is inaugurated. And since the new president is to be elected by a parliament and the parliament is illegitimate, the newly elected or so-called elected president cannot be inaugurated. And my mandate, hence, stands. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//31//80//808x539_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg/" alt=\"A protester waves an EU flag during a rally in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/384x256_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/640x427_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/750x500_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/828x552_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1080x720_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1200x800_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1920x1280_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A protester waves an EU flag during a rally in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>So, we are in a transition period. It's very important that this transition is very stable. People around me, from civil society and from the political parties, are trying with our European partners and with our American partners. Trying to lead this very stable transition. <\/p>\n<p>And what is very important is that beyond what I've said about the public service is in dissent, there is also the fact that all the cities in Georgia have protests, which in my memory, has never happened. It was always Tbilisi that was the centre of everything. Today, all the cities have seen demonstrations. And it's touching the economy. <\/p>\n<p>Businesses that have always been in this country are very loyal to any government, and any regime has seen today many big businesses expressing their protests because clearly for them too. The European purse is the only one that they want to see for this country.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Euronews:<\/em> What is the position of the country's security forces and the justice system?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Zourabichvili: The justice system is very interesting because, basically, one of the main problems this country has had with the European Union these last years was that we do not have an independent justice system. <\/p>\n<p>I have introduced a plea in the Constitutional Court against the reading of the elections on which they have not even met for the time being. But we have to try all the levels. That's the constitutional way to do things. And there is always hope. But it could always be that some members of these high courts at one point understand that the stability of the country is in their hands and the fate of the country. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//31//80//808x539_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg/" alt=\"Police use a water cannon on protesters during a rally outside the parliament in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/384x256_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/640x427_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/750x500_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/828x552_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1080x720_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1200x800_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1920x1280_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Police use a water cannon on protesters during a rally outside the parliament in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>So we have to try to put pressure on them for security forces and describe the police as on the side of the citizens because it's normal police that have been trained, and the black guys are serving their own masters. And the \"robocops\" are a state instrument that will go where the state will go. So that's what we have to watch. <\/p>\n<p>Then there is the army that is very quiet and has to remain quiet but is very clearly on the side of pro-Western forces because they have been trained, they have been formed, they have been equipped over these past decades. <\/p>\n<p>Therefore, together with Americans and European partners, they are involved in international missions abroad. So it's very clear they are suffering a lot when they're told that suddenly their friends are no longer their friends. <\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Euronews: There are some parallels between what is happening now in Georgia and the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine 11 years ago. Do you see any connections?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Zourabichvili: I think it's very different because Georgians are not Ukrainians. We have many things in common because we have basically been confronting the same enemy. But things are very different because the Georgian character is very different, and the dissolution of the state institutions we are witnessing now, including the church in which we are hearing dissenting voices, which is unheard of, is something that is very specific. Even in Georgia, we have not seen that earlier. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//31//80//808x539_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg/" alt=\"Ukraine&#39;s anti-corruption, pro-EU Maidan Uprising in downtown Kyiv, 20 February, 2014\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/384x256_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/640x427_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/750x500_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/828x552_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1080x720_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1200x800_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/1920x1280_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Ukraine&#39;s anti-corruption, pro-EU Maidan Uprising in downtown Kyiv, 20 February, 2014<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Efrem Lukatsky\/AP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>So we are confronting something very new, and we are part of something very new that is also happening geopolitically, I would say, where Russia, not winning easily over Ukraine over these past two and a half years, is now trying to win over the European Union with electoral war. I would say it's an electoral war. They have carried this electoral war in Georgia, and we are fighting against it with constitutional means. <\/p>\n<p>They're fighting the same electoral war in Romania. And they have floated in Moldova, except that Moldova was saved by the diaspora. And in our case, we were not allowed to use the votes of our just for our members, which are numerous. So it's a strategy of Russia. <\/p>\n<p>And it's very important that the European Union understands that it is a hybrid strategy to win over countries that do not want to go towards Russia through these maybe more discreet ways. But clearly, in Georgia, where we have a long experience of Russia trying to take over this country and have been very resilient to that, we are going to be resilient and ensure that we prevail. The will of the people.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Euronews: So you're saying Romania is a more similar case?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Zourabichvili: Similar because it's different tricks and different systems. And that's what shows the systemic approach that is very adapted to each country. <\/p>\n<p>But the emergence of these pro-Russian leaders suddenly that nobody expected should be something that our European partners should think about because that's the way Russia is trying to keep some of its influence. However, we see that Russia is also losing in different places, such as Syria.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732995240,"updatedAt":1733139956,"publishedAt":1733004661,"firstPublishedAt":1733004661,"lastPublishedAt":1733139956,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_53812b0f-9471-5e7b-acb5-d0dbea454d88-8883180.jpg","altText":"Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili attends an opposition rally in Tbilisi, 20 October, 2024","caption":"Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili attends an opposition rally in Tbilisi, 20 October, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":3930,"height":2210},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_20f26adc-3709-516c-ba92-650759761401-8883180.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2899,"height":1933},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9768fbae-7651-5c53-a372-cf21bdaceed6-8883180.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5184,"height":3456},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_bc248eff-8cb9-50e6-b3fb-c6a9e8806c19-8883180.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":3624,"height":2416},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_43a7f367-f065-51be-8a2b-30f436fda0d4-8883180.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4935,"height":3290},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/31\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b3aab299-8588-5234-81e5-164cd8da81a4-8883180.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4148,"height":2765}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":26,"urlSafeValue":"cantone","title":"Sergio 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News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":124,"urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","url":"\/news\/europe\/georgia"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/30\/president-salome-zourabichvili-slams-georgias-government-as-illegitimate","lastModified":1733139956},{"id":2691090,"cid":8882286,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241130_E3SU_57155733","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GEORGIA PROTESTS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Over 100 protesters arrested in Georgia during second night of unrest ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Over 100 protesters arrested in Georgia during second night of unrest ","titleListing2":"Over 100 protesters arrested in Georgia during second night of unrest ","leadin":"Protesters again swarmed the parliament, with some trying to break through its gates, in anger over the government's back-tracking on EU negotiations.","summary":"Protesters again swarmed the parliament, with some trying to break through its gates, in anger over the government's back-tracking on EU negotiations.","keySentence":"","url":"thousands-protest-for-second-night-against-government-decision-to-suspend-eu-talks","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/30\/thousands-protest-for-second-night-against-government-decision-to-suspend-eu-talks","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Thousands of people have protested for a second night against the Georgian government's decision to\u00a0suspend European Union accession negotiations.\n\nProtesters again swarmed the parliament in the capital Tbilisi, with some trying to break the metal gates to the building.\n\nRiot police used water cannons to push them away from the building and later moved to force them farther back along the Rustaveli Avenue, the city's main boulevard.\n\nSome of the protesters used rubbish bins and benches to try to build barricades, whilst the police fired tear gas and pepper spray at them.\n\nThat elicited an angry response from the country\u2019s pro-EU president Salome Zourabichvilli, who has long been at odds with the pro-Russia Georgian Dream party.\n\n\"Once again, we witness brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media, reminiscent of Russian-style repression,\" she said in a post on X.\n\nThe increasingly brutal police response was also commented on by a member of the opposition Droa party.\n\n\"Now people, are dragged out of buildings where they are sheltering, out of pharmacies, and so on, as well. So, if we had any sense of security during previous protests, now we do not have from this morning, we do not have any sense of security,\" Marika Mikiashvili told Euronews.\n\nClashes between police and protesters also erupted late on Friday night in the Black Sea port city of Batumi.\n\n\"We are not only fighting against Georgian Dream; we are fighting against Russia, we are fighting against Russian influence in this country. An enormous amount of resources, money, and everything is now being enacted. That is why I do ask all leaders of the democratic world to support the Georgian people. Sanctions, actions, funding, everything needs to be done. That's very important,\" said Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of Unity National Movement Coalition.\u00a0\n\nDisputed election win\n\nThe Georgian Dream's disputed victory in the 26 October parliamentary elections, which was\u00a0widely seen as a referendum the country\u2019s aspirations to join the EU, sparked massive demonstrations and led to\u00a0an opposition boycott of parliament.\n\nThe opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia which is seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit.\n\nThe government's announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last month\u2019s vote as neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation of the continued democratic backsliding \"for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible.\"\n\nEuropean election observers said October's vote took place in a\u00a0divisive atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.\n\nThe EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc's recommendations, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a \"foreign influence\" law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.\n\nEU lawmakers urged a rerun of the parliamentary vote within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration.\n\nThey also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government.\n\nThe Georgian prime minister fired back, denouncing what he described as a \"cascade of insults\" from the EU politicians and declaring that \"the ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union.\"\n\n\u201cWe will continue on our path toward the European Union; however, we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our country and society,\u201d Irakli Kobakhidze said.\n\nKobakhidze also said Georgia would reject any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028.\n\nCritics have accused Georgian Dream \u2014 established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia \u2014 of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.\n\nThe party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and\u00a0LGBTQ+ rights.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Thousands of people have protested for a second night against the Georgian government's decision to\u00a0suspend European Union accession negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>Protesters again swarmed the parliament in the capital Tbilisi, with some trying to break the metal gates to the building.<\/p>\n<p>Riot police used water cannons to push them away from the building and later moved to force them farther back along the Rustaveli Avenue, the city's main boulevard.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the protesters used rubbish bins and benches to try to build barricades, whilst the police fired tear gas and pepper spray at them.<\/p>\n<p>That elicited an angry response from the country\u2019s pro-EU president Salome Zourabichvilli, who has long been at odds with the pro-Russia Georgian Dream party.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1862607419357925724\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\"Once again, we witness brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media, reminiscent of Russian-style repression,\" she said in a post on X.<\/p>\n<p>The increasingly brutal police response was also commented on by a member of the opposition Droa party.<\/p>\n<p>\"Now people, are dragged out of buildings where they are sheltering, out of pharmacies, and so on, as well. So, if we had any sense of security during previous protests, now we do not have from this morning, we do not have any sense of security,\" Marika Mikiashvili told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>Clashes between police and protesters also erupted late on Friday night in the Black Sea port city of Batumi.<\/p>\n<p>\"We are not only fighting against Georgian Dream; we are fighting against Russia, we are fighting against Russian influence in this country. An enormous amount of resources, money, and everything is now being enacted. That is why I do ask all leaders of the democratic world to support the Georgian people. Sanctions, actions, funding, everything needs to be done. That's very important,\" said Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of Unity National Movement Coalition.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Disputed election win<\/h2><p>The Georgian Dream's disputed victory in the 26 October parliamentary elections, which was\u00a0widely seen as a referendum the country\u2019s aspirations to join the EU, sparked massive demonstrations and led to\u00a0an opposition boycott of parliament.<\/p>\n<p>The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia which is seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//22//86//808x539_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg/" alt=\"Police use a water cannon on protesters during a rally outside the parliament in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/384x256_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/640x427_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/750x500_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/828x552_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/1080x720_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/1200x800_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/1920x1280_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Police use a water cannon on protesters during a rally outside the parliament in Tbilisi, 30 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The government's announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last month\u2019s vote as neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation of the continued democratic backsliding \"for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible.\"<\/p>\n<p>European election observers said October's vote took place in a\u00a0divisive atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.<\/p>\n<p>The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc's recommendations, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a \"foreign influence\" law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.<\/p>\n<p>EU lawmakers urged a rerun of the parliamentary vote within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration.<\/p>\n<p>They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666187464059804\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//88//22//86//808x539_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg/" alt=\"Georgia&#39;s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze arrives for the European Political Community Summit in Budapest, 7 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/384x256_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/640x427_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/750x500_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/828x552_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/1080x720_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/1200x800_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/1920x1280_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Georgia&#39;s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze arrives for the European Political Community Summit in Budapest, 7 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Denes Erdos\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Georgian prime minister fired back, denouncing what he described as a \"cascade of insults\" from the EU politicians and declaring that \"the ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union.\"<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will continue on our path toward the European Union; however, we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our country and society,\u201d Irakli Kobakhidze said.<\/p>\n<p>Kobakhidze also said Georgia would reject any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have accused Georgian Dream \u2014 established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia \u2014 of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.<\/p>\n<p>The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and\u00a0LGBTQ+ rights.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732916054,"updatedAt":1732986292,"publishedAt":1732926350,"firstPublishedAt":1732926350,"lastPublishedAt":1732986292,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_80487584-721e-54e5-af0f-36ed4f964319-8882286.jpg","altText":"Demonstrators rally outside the parliament's building, top, to protest the government's decision to suspend negotiations on joining the EU Tbilisi, November 29th 2024","caption":"Demonstrators rally outside the parliament's building, top, to protest the government's decision to suspend negotiations on joining the EU Tbilisi, November 29th 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_144c4888-aab4-5ae3-a43a-7b13b346e70e-8882286.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":6956,"height":4637},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/22\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_18892b4d-2317-549b-8c20-dea59205eec5-8882286.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":3624,"height":2416}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":124,"slug":"georgia","urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","titleRaw":"Georgia"},{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia 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PROTESTS EU ACCESSION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Thousands of Georgians march in Tbilisi to protest against suspension of EU bid","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Thousands protest in Tbilisi to oppose Kobakhidze's halt to EU bid","titleListing2":"Thousands of Georgians march to the Parliament in Tbilisi to protest against Kobakhidze's decision to suspend EU accession talks","leadin":"Thousands of protesters flooded the streets surrounding the Georgian Parliament to voice their objection to the ruling party's decision to suspend EU-accession talks.","summary":"Thousands of protesters flooded the streets surrounding the Georgian Parliament to voice their objection to the ruling party's decision to suspend EU-accession talks.","keySentence":"","url":"thousands-of-georgians-march-in-tbilisi-to-protest-against-suspension-of-eu-bid","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/28\/thousands-of-georgians-march-in-tbilisi-to-protest-against-suspension-of-eu-bid","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Protesters clashed with police in the capital Tbilisi on Thursday night after the government suspended talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years.\u00a0\n\nPrime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the Georgian Dream party announced the decision in a press conference, stating the long sought after bid to join the bloc will not be on the agenda until the end of 2028.\u00a0\u00a0\n\nThe announcement came just hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the October 26 election, citing major irregularities leading to \"neither free nor fair\" elections.\u00a0\u00a0\n\nBrussels says Georgia's ruling party is fully responsible for the continuing decay in democratic functions in the country. Irregularities included \"documented cases of intimidation of voters, vote manipulation, interference with election observers and media and reported manipulation involving electronic voting machines.\"\u00a0\u00a0\n\nThe European Parliament called for elections to be re-held under international supervision within a year, and for sanctions to be imposed on top Georgian officials, including the prime minister.\n\nKobakhidze insisted that Georgia is a European country and that \"it is our responsibility to make Georgia a full-fledged member of the European family,\" but that \"Georgia-EU relations are bilateral and can only be bilateral.\"\u00a0\n\nHe continued saying \"We are a proud and self-respecting nation with a long history. Therefore, it is categorically unacceptable for us to consider integration into the European Union as a favour that the European Union should grant us.\"\u00a0\n\nKobakhidze also said that the government will refuse all funding coming from Brussels. The EU announced earlier that it was cutting any budgetary support to Georgia over the so-called \"foreign agent\" law and other decisions made by Georgian Dream that were seen as anti-democratic.\u00a0\n\nWith the opposition refusing to recognise the new parliament\u2019s legitimacy and boycotting its proceedings, Kobakhidze will continue as prime minister. The Georgian parliament has approved his new cabinet, but the opposition's seats are left vacant.\u00a0\n\nThe parliament has backed an independent international investigation into electoral manipulation allegations in Georgia, urging the EU, its member states and the international community not to recognise them.\u00a0\n\nKobakhidze insisted Georgia\u2019s EU bid is merely on pause, not scrapped. In his address, he pledged to continue implementing necessary reforms in the coming four years, declaring that by 2028, the country will be more prepared than all other candidate countries to re-open accession talks, and become a full-fledged member state in 2030.\u00a0\u00a0\n\nTbilisi formally applied for EU membership in March of 2022 following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine. They were granted EU Candidate Status in December the following year, to the delight of many Georgians who celebrated on the streets of the capital. Protesters say they will continue to demonstrate against this injustice until their demands are met.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Protesters clashed with police in the capital Tbilisi on Thursday night after the government suspended talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the Georgian Dream party announced the decision in a press conference, stating the long sought after bid to join the bloc will not be on the agenda until the end of 2028.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-gallery widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" \n data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\"\n data-gallery-img-nb=\"5\"\n data-gallery-key=\"44383020-addf-11ef-815e-27a92a801230\"\n data-gallery-featured-index=\"0\"\n>\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure widget__figure-has-button\">\n <a class=\"widget__gallery__image__link\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"//my-europe//2024//11//28//thousands-of-georgians-march-in-tbilisi-to-protest-against-suspension-of-eu-bid?gallery=44383020-addf-11ef-815e-27a92a801230#photo-1\" title=\"open image gallery\">\n <img class=\"widget__gallery__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//library//111//698//00//92//11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e//384x256.125_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg/" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/384x256_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/640x427_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/750x500_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/828x552_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/1080x720_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/1200x800_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/library\/111\/698\/00\/92\/11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e\/1920x1281_cmsv2_5ebfc671-2d5d-5124-bf28-16cbd7d23f78-11144b0b56b69896b2be5ddfb880d4e009214e69d29e.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <\/a>\n <a class=\"widget__button u-color-white u-display-flex u-flex-direction-column u-margin-bottom-2 u-margin-bottom-medium-5 u-text-transform-none\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"//my-europe//2024//11//28//thousands-of-georgians-march-in-tbilisi-to-protest-against-suspension-of-eu-bid?gallery=44383020-addf-11ef-815e-27a92a801230#photo-1\" title=\"open image gallery\">\n <div class=\"widget__button__title u-color-white u-margin-top-0 u-text-transform-none u-text-weight-bold\">View Gallery<\/div>\n <div class=\"widget__button__text u-display-flex u-text-weight-semibold u-text-size-extra-small\">5 Photos<\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The announcement came just hours after the European Parliament adopted a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.europarl.europa.eu//news//en//press-room//20241121IPR25549//parliament-calls-for-new-elections-in-georgia/">resolution condemning the October 26 election<\/a>, citing major irregularities leading to \"neither free nor fair\" elections.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Brussels says Georgia's ruling party is fully responsible for the continuing decay in democratic functions in the country. Irregularities included \"documented cases of intimidation of voters, vote manipulation, interference with election observers and media and reported manipulation involving electronic voting machines.\"\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament called for elections to be re-held under international supervision within a year, and for sanctions to be imposed on top Georgian officials, including the prime minister.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1862270879146942798\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Kobakhidze insisted that Georgia is a European country and that \"it is our responsibility to make Georgia a full-fledged member of the European family,\" but that \"Georgia-EU relations are bilateral and can only be bilateral.\"\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He continued saying \"We are a proud and self-respecting nation with a long history. Therefore, it is categorically unacceptable for us to consider integration into the European Union as a favour that the European Union should grant us.\"\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Kobakhidze also said that the government will refuse all funding coming from Brussels. The EU announced earlier that it was cutting any budgetary support to Georgia over the so-called \"foreign agent\" law and other decisions made by Georgian Dream that were seen as anti-democratic.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With the opposition refusing to recognise the new parliament\u2019s legitimacy and boycotting its proceedings, Kobakhidze will continue as prime minister. The Georgian parliament has approved his new cabinet, but the opposition's seats are left vacant.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The parliament has backed an independent international investigation into electoral manipulation allegations in Georgia, urging the EU, its member states and the international community not to recognise them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1862098156428665276\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Kobakhidze insisted Georgia\u2019s EU bid is merely on pause, not scrapped. In his address, he pledged to continue implementing necessary reforms in the coming four years, declaring that by 2028, the country will be more prepared than all other candidate countries to re-open accession talks, and become a full-fledged member state in 2030.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Tbilisi formally applied for EU membership in March of 2022 following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine. They were granted EU Candidate Status in December the following year, to the delight of many Georgians who <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2023//12//16//georgia-celebrates-gaining-eu-candidate-status/">celebrated on the streets of the capital<\/a>. Protesters say they will continue to demonstrate against this injustice until their demands are met.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732834179,"updatedAt":1732859955,"publishedAt":1732837084,"firstPublishedAt":1732837084,"lastPublishedAt":1732845961,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/88\/00\/76\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2ff7b908-7460-5c7c-abcd-2cb6cb424c7a-8880076.jpg","altText":"Police try to block protesters pouring into the streets following Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's announcement.","caption":"Police try to block protesters pouring into the streets following Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's announcement.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3270,"urlSafeValue":"fouda","title":"Malek Fouda","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia politics","titleRaw":"Georgia politics"},{"id":13844,"slug":"european-parliament","urlSafeValue":"european-parliament","title":"European Parliament","titleRaw":"European 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News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":124,"urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","url":"\/news\/europe\/georgia"},"town":{"id":4055,"urlSafeValue":"tbilisi","title":"Tbilisi"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/29\/thousands-of-georgians-march-in-tbilisi-to-protest-against-suspension-of-eu-bid","lastModified":1732845961},{"id":2688734,"cid":8876194,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241127_NWSU_57129599","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GEORGIA PRESIDENT","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Georgia's ruling party nominates far-right former footballer for president ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Georgia's ruling party nominates far-right ex-footballer for president","titleListing2":"Georgia's ruling party nominates far-right former footballer for president ","leadin":"Georgian Dream picks Mikheil Kavelashvili as presidential candidate amid protests and opposition backlash over disputed parliamentary elections.","summary":"Georgian Dream picks Mikheil Kavelashvili as presidential candidate amid protests and opposition backlash over disputed parliamentary elections.","keySentence":"","url":"georgias-ruling-party-nominates-far-right-former-footballer-for-president","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/11\/27\/georgias-ruling-party-nominates-far-right-former-footballer-for-president","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Georgia's ruling party on Wednesday picked far-right politican and former football international Mikheil Kavelashvili as its candidate for president following a disputed victory in recent parliamentary elections that sparked turmoil in the Black Sea country. \n\nThe populist pro-Russian Georgian Dream nominated Kavelashvili, 53, an ex-national team and Premier League player, for the mostly ceremonial presidential post. He is all but certain to win the 14 December vote, since Georgian Dream dominates the electoral college of members of parliament and local government representatives.\n\nKavelashvili was elected to parliament on the Georgian Dream ticket in 2016. In 2022, he co-founded the People's Power political movement, a splinter group of the ruling party that has become known for its staunch anti-Western rhetoric.\n\nHis nomination comes as the country continues to endure political chaos and protests in the wake of disputed parliamentary elections on 26 October, which resulted in Georgian Dream securing a new majority with just under 54% of the vote. The elections were widely viewed as a referendum on the country's effort to bid join the European Union.\n\nGeorgia's opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Tbilisi in its orbit, and declared a boycott of parliament. Opposition lawmakers and President Salome Zourabichvili refused to take part in the new parliament's inaugural session on Monday.\n\nZourabichvilihas declared the new legislature \"unconstitutional\" and is seeking to annul the election results, a call backed by thousands of protesters.\n\nEuropean election observers said October's parliamentary elections took place in a \"divisive\" atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence. Georgian Dream leaders have rejected claims of election fraud. \n\nWarning signs\n\nWhile the post of president is largely ceremonial, the West will likely see Kavelashvili's nomination as another sign that Tbilisi is becoming closer with Moscow.\n\nCritics have accused Georgian Dream \u2014 established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia \u2014 of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Russia. \n\nThe party recently pushed through legislation similar to that used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech, LGBTQ+ rights and \"foreign agents\". \n\nBrussels froze Georgia's EU membership application indefinitely in June after the parliament in Tbilisi passed a law passed requiring organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as \"pursuing the interest of a foreign power\". Kavelashvili was one of the bill\u2019s authors.\n\nOn Wednesday, Ivanishvili presented Kavelashvili\u2019s candidacy to parliament, praising his \u201csignificant contribution to protecting Georgia\u2019s national interests and strengthening the country\u2019s sovereignty\".\n\nKavelashvili told parliament that \"our society is divided\" and said \"radicalisation and polarisation\" in Georgia had been fuelled from abroad.\n\nHe accused Zourabichvili of violating the constitution and declared that he will \"restore the presidency to its constitutional framework\".\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Georgia's ruling party on Wednesday picked far-right politican and former football international Mikheil Kavelashvili as its candidate for president following a disputed victory in recent parliamentary elections that sparked turmoil in the Black Sea country. <\/p>\n<p>The populist pro-Russian Georgian Dream nominated Kavelashvili, 53, an ex-national team and Premier League player, for the mostly ceremonial presidential post. He is all but certain to win the 14 December vote, since Georgian Dream dominates the electoral college of members of parliament and local government representatives.<\/p>\n<p>Kavelashvili was elected to parliament on the Georgian Dream ticket in 2016. In 2022, he co-founded the People's Power political movement, a splinter group of the ruling party that has become known for its staunch anti-Western rhetoric.<\/p>\n<p>His nomination comes as the country continues to endure political chaos and protests in the wake of disputed parliamentary elections on 26 October, which resulted in Georgian Dream securing a new majority with just under 54% of the vote. The elections were widely viewed as a referendum on the country's effort to bid join the European Union.<\/p>\n<p>Georgia's opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Tbilisi in its orbit, and declared a boycott of parliament. Opposition lawmakers and President Salome Zourabichvili refused to take part in the new parliament's inaugural session on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Zourabichvilihas declared the new legislature \"unconstitutional\" and is seeking to annul the election results, a call backed by thousands of protesters.<\/p>\n<p>European election observers said October's parliamentary elections took place in a \"divisive\" atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence. Georgian Dream leaders have rejected claims of election fraud. <\/p>\n<h2>Warning signs<\/h2><p>While the post of president is largely ceremonial, the West will likely see Kavelashvili's nomination as another sign that Tbilisi is becoming closer with Moscow.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have accused Georgian Dream \u2014 established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia \u2014 of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Russia. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8871960,8871142\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//11//25//georgias-new-parliament-opens-first-session-amid-mass-protests-and-boycott/">Georgia's new parliament opens first session amid mass protests and boycott<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//11//25//georgian-protesters-rally-in-tbilisi-ahead-of-first-session-of-newly-elected-parliament/">Georgian protesters rally in Tbilisi ahead of first session of newly-elected parliament<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The party recently pushed through legislation similar to that used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech, LGBTQ+ rights and \"foreign agents\". <\/p>\n<p>Brussels froze Georgia's EU membership application indefinitely in June after the parliament in Tbilisi passed a law passed requiring organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as \"pursuing the interest of a foreign power\". Kavelashvili was one of the bill\u2019s authors.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, Ivanishvili presented Kavelashvili\u2019s candidacy to parliament, praising his \u201csignificant contribution to protecting Georgia\u2019s national interests and strengthening the country\u2019s sovereignty\".<\/p>\n<p>Kavelashvili told parliament that \"our society is divided\" and said \"radicalisation and polarisation\" in Georgia had been fuelled from abroad.<\/p>\n<p>He accused Zourabichvili of violating the constitution and declared that he will \"restore the presidency to its constitutional framework\".<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732701333,"updatedAt":1732712943,"publishedAt":1732706885,"firstPublishedAt":1732706885,"lastPublishedAt":1732706978,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/61\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_46af4307-4ccd-5323-b073-24a9141f4b56-8876194.jpg","altText":"File photo: Mikheil Kavelashvili attends a news conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Feb. 14, 2019","caption":"File photo: Mikheil Kavelashvili attends a news conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Feb. 14, 2019","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP\/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":575},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/61\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2b05b649-ead1-517d-861f-de65f2b1b7d5-8876194.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":124,"slug":"georgia","urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","titleRaw":"Georgia"},{"id":25588,"slug":"election","urlSafeValue":"election","title":"Election","titleRaw":"Election"},{"id":105,"slug":"european-union","urlSafeValue":"european-union","title":"European Union","titleRaw":"European Union"},{"id":239,"slug":"russia","urlSafeValue":"russia","title":"Russia","titleRaw":"Russia"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2664416}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"6dtlExqYOoc","dailymotionId":"x99upvq"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/11\/27\/en\/241127_NWSU_57129599_57131541_35360_133505_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":35360,"filesizeBytes":4503642,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/11\/27\/en\/241127_NWSU_57129599_57131541_35360_133505_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":35360,"filesizeBytes":6686298,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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snow, cheap passes and uncrowded slopes: Why you should go skiing in Georgia this winter","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Reliable snow, cheap passes and uncrowded slopes: Why you should go skiing in Georgia this winter","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"High peaks, low prices: Georgia might be Europe\u2019s best-kept ski secret","titleListing2":"Reliable snow, cheap passes and uncrowded slopes: Why you should go skiing in Georgia this winter","leadin":"With modern resorts, mounds of snow and legendary hospitality, Georgia is a hidden gem for thrill-seeking skiers.","summary":"With modern resorts, mounds of snow and legendary hospitality, Georgia is a hidden gem for thrill-seeking skiers.","keySentence":"","url":"reliable-snow-cheap-passes-and-uncrowded-slopes-why-you-should-go-skiing-in-georgia-this-w","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/travel\/2024\/11\/27\/reliable-snow-cheap-passes-and-uncrowded-slopes-why-you-should-go-skiing-in-georgia-this-w","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"When Taylor Beckwith-Ferguson first visited Georgia in 2015, he thought he would spend a few days on the piste.\n\nIt didn\u2019t take long for his plans to change.\n\n\u201cI found that Georgia has skiing that\u2019s similar quality to the Alps but cheaper. There\u2019s good infrastructure and good snow, and it\u2019s not crowded,\u201d he says.\n\nAdd the untouched backcountry and legendary hospitality, and Beckwith-Ferguson soon discovered all the reasons why this nation wedged between the Black and Caspian Seas might be Europe\u2019s best-kept secret for snow sport disciples.\n\nNow, he is preparing for his tenth consecutive ski season in the Caucasus. It will also be his eighth season as the owner of Vagabond Adventures, a ski school and adventure tour company based in Gudauri, the country\u2019s premier mountain resort two hours north of the capital Tbilisi.\n\nGudauri is a dream for novice skiers like me. There are no trees threatening my survival, but there are plenty of inns and lodges, bars and restaurants, and ski schools such as Vagabond. Not to mention a wall of snow-capped mountains jutting out through the clouds in every direction. \n\nThe opportunities for adventure are endless. \n\nAs a more recent arrival to Georgia, I can understand how Beckwith-Ferguson felt when he arrived. \u201cI had no intention of staying, and no plan to start a business,\u201d he tells me. \n\n\u201cGeorgia is a place that just draws you in.\u201d\n\nHigh mountains and plenty of snow: Georgia\u2019s geography rivals the best ski spots in Europe \n\nIf you\u2019re looking for mountains, you\u2019ve come to the right place.\n\n Beyond the Black Sea coastline and vine-strewn valleys in Kakheti, Georgia\u2019s main wine region, you will struggle to find any flatlands at all.\n\nTowering 5,000-metre peaks frame the border with Russia. \n\nOn clear days, you can see some of them, including 5,054-metre Mount Kazbegi, from your hotel room in Tbilisi.\n\nEven the lowest-lying ski resort - Bakuriani, a four-season destination surrounded by pristine pine forests in central Georgia - is higher than 1,700 metres above sea level.\n\nBut it isn\u2019t just that Georgia has mountains. It\u2019s that these mountains get snow. Lots of it.\n\nExcluding the pandemic-affected 2021, Gudauri has opened before the New Year rush eight of the last nine seasons without requiring artificial snow, an expensive and carbon-intensive measure that many resorts in Europe have turned to as climate change has disrupted business.\n\n\u201cSome of the lower ski resorts in the Alps are closing and basically turning into mountain bike resorts year-round,\u201d says Beckwith-Ferguson.\n\nFor now, at least, Georgia doesn\u2019t have that problem.\n\n In Goderdzi, 109 km from Georgia\u2019s bustling second city, Batumi, the Black Sea dumps so much snow, and so regularly, that the resort can open as early as November.\n\nIt sticks, too. Ski season in Gudauri and Goderdzi usually goes into April, Beckwith-Ferguson says. \n\nIn the backcountry mecca Svaneti - one of Europe\u2019s newest skiing regions and home to the Tetnuldi and Hatsvali resorts - there\u2019s snow even into May.\n\nIt\u2019s a wild, wild country, but access to quality skiing is second to none in Georgia\n\n For almost every skier and snowboarder, all roads lead to Gudauri.\n\n A 30-year-old ski resort set above the treeline, Gudauri has everything you could want: \n\n76 km of groomed runs, several ski schools, on-piste bars and restaurants serving Georgia\u2019s famed wine and khinkali (soup dumplings), not to mention the electric afterparties.\n\nIt\u2019s also close enough to the capital that you can fly in for a ski weekend without using your annual leave.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s an easy day trip. You can be skiing in the morning and out with friends in Tbilisi at night,\u201d says Nino Kurtskhalia, a lifelong skier and former hotel manager from the capital.\n\nLike many Georgians, Kurtskhalia has embraced the sport wholeheartedly.\n\nResearch firm PMCG reported that in 2023 nearly 325,000 domestic tourists - almost one in 10 people in Georgia - visited Bakuriani, the most family-friendly resort featuring a skating rink, sleigh rides, and carnival games. Nearly 319,000 visited Gudauri.\n\nKurtskhalia has gone to perhaps the greatest length to be one of the regular visitors. Each winter, she makes at least one pilgrimage from her current home in Bangkok.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a must,\u201d she says. \u201cI have to ski.\u201d \n\nModern infrastructure with lower prices, Georgia\u2019s ski resorts offer value for money\n\nAccess isn\u2019t the only selling point. Over the past decade, the Georgian government, which owns the country\u2019s ski resorts, has invested millions into improving infrastructure.\n\nGudauri, for example, now has more than a dozen lifts - including enclosed gondolas - made by Doppelmayr and Poma, two of the world\u2019s top ski equipment manufacturers.\n\n\u201cThe lift infrastructure is amazing. It\u2019s better than anywhere I\u2019ve skied in the US,\u201d says Beckwith-Ferguson. \u201c[The resorts] keep adding new lifts.\u201d\n\nThey have done so without inflating prices, too.\n\nIn 2023, seasonal passes offering access to all five resorts cost GEL 650 (\u20ac225) for adults, and day passes were just GEL 70 (\u20ac25). \n\n\u201cGeorgia is probably the most budget-friendly ski destination in Europe. Lift passes, gear hire, accommodation, and apres-ski are a fraction of the cost you find elsewhere,\u201d says Emily Lush, an Australian writer and the Georgia expert behind Wander-Lush.org.\n\n\u201cThinner crowds are also a big part of the appeal,\u201d she adds. \u201cStepping directly onto a ski lift without having to queue is the norm, even during the peak months.\u201d\n\nGeorgia has culture and wilderness you can\u2019t experience anywhere else\n\nBeckwith-Ferguson, Kurtskhalia and Lush can all agree on one thing: Georgia shines brightest off-the-beaten-path.\n\n\u201cBackcountry skiing kept me in Georgia the first couple of years,\u201d says Beckwith-Ferguson.\n\n\u201cIn most places, easy-access ski tours where you just drive up to a trailhead, hike, and ski a nice line back down would be crowded,\u201d he explains.\n\nBut in Georgia, you\u2019ll find \u201ctrue backcountry, true wilderness, with almost no other people around.\u201d \n\nThat\u2019s true whether you\u2019re cat-skiing (riding up a mountain on a \u2018snowcat\u2019 machine) in Goderdzi or ski-touring (hiking up, skiing down) around the mediaeval stone towers in Svaneti - one of Kurtskhalia\u2019s favourite winter escapes.\n\n Sometimes, you\u2019ll find Georgia\u2019s best adventures off the piste entirely.\n\nThe country claims an 8,000-year winemaking tradition, millennia-old monasteries, and festivals nearly every month. Not to mention a belief that every guest is a divine gift.\n\nYou won\u2019t have to come back in the summer to see this side of Georgia, either.\n\n\u201cTbilisi is an excellent winter destination, especially around December and early January when Christmas and New Year festivities are in full swing,\u201d says Lush. \n\n\u201cCellar visits in Kakheti, museum-hopping in Kutaisi, Georgia\u2019s cultural capital, exploring the monasteries and cave cities around Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti \u2013 it\u2019s all possible throughout winter.\u201d\n\n","htmlText":"<p>When Taylor Beckwith-Ferguson first visited Georgia in 2015, he thought he would spend a few days on the piste.<\/p>\n<p>It didn\u2019t take long for his plans to change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found that Georgia has skiing that\u2019s similar quality to the Alps but cheaper. There\u2019s good infrastructure and good snow, and it\u2019s not crowded,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Add the untouched backcountry and legendary hospitality, and Beckwith-Ferguson soon discovered all the reasons why this nation wedged between the Black and Caspian Seas might be Europe\u2019s best-kept secret for snow sport disciples.<\/p>\n<p>Now, he is preparing for his tenth consecutive ski season in the Caucasus. It will also be his eighth season as the owner of Vagabond Adventures, a ski school and adventure tour company based in Gudauri, the country\u2019s premier mountain resort two hours north of the capital <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//05//30//sulphur-baths-and-soviet-markets-how-to-spend-a-weekend-in-tbilisi-on-a-budget/">Tbilisi./n

Will this winter be good for skiing in Europe? Expert predictions on where will get snow this year<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//07//09//eurostar-snow-take-the-sustainable-route-to-the-alps-this-winter-with-this-new-ski-train/">No-fly skiing: Start planning a sustainable winter holiday with this train from London to the Alps<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Gudauri is a dream for <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//02//17//i-tried-skiing-for-the-first-time-in-my-30s-after-two-days-on-the-slopes-my-fear-turned-to/">novice skiers<\/strong><\/a> like me. There are no trees threatening my survival, but there are plenty of inns and lodges, bars and restaurants, and ski schools such as Vagabond. Not to mention a wall of snow-capped mountains jutting out through the clouds in every direction. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6627777777777778\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x535_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"Svaneti mountain peaks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x255_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x424_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x497_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x549_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x716_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x795_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1273_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Svaneti mountain peaks<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Vagabond Adventures<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The opportunities for adventure are endless. <\/p>\n<p>As a more recent arrival to Georgia, I can understand how Beckwith-Ferguson felt when he arrived. \u201cI had no intention of staying, and no plan to start a business,\u201d he tells me. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGeorgia is a place that just draws you in.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>High mountains and plenty of snow: Georgia\u2019s geography rivals the best ski spots in Europe<\/h2><p>If you\u2019re looking for mountains, you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n<p> Beyond the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2022//05//11//georgia-explore-the-black-sea-region-where-beaches-and-snowy-peaks-collide/">Black Sea<\/strong><\/a> coastline and vine-strewn valleys in Kakheti, Georgia\u2019s main wine region, you will struggle to find any flatlands at all.<\/p>\n<p>Towering 5,000-metre peaks frame the border with Russia. <\/p>\n<p>On clear days, you can see some of them, including 5,054-metre Mount Kazbegi, from your hotel room in Tbilisi.<\/p>\n<p>Even the lowest-lying ski resort - Bakuriani, a four-season destination surrounded by pristine pine forests in central Georgia - is higher than 1,700 metres above sea level.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x454_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"Skiers with the Georgia flag flying\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x216_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x360_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x422_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x466_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x608_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1080_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Skiers with the Georgia flag flying<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Moritz Ablinger\/Georgia National Tourism Administration (GNTA)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>But it isn\u2019t just that Georgia has mountains. It\u2019s that these mountains get snow. Lots of it.<\/p>\n<p>Excluding the pandemic-affected 2021, Gudauri has opened before the New Year rush eight of the last nine seasons without requiring artificial snow, an expensive and carbon-intensive measure that many resorts in Europe have turned to as climate change has <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//10//08//is-climate-change-to-blame-for-the-increasing-closure-of-european-ski-resorts/">disrupted business<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"7625000,3369426\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2023//05//23//summer-at-a-ski-resort-these-mountain-retreats-have-plenty-to-offer-outside-of-winter-mont/">Summer at a ski resort? These mountain retreats have plenty to offer outside of winter months<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2021//10//26//unusual-european-ski-destinations-in-europe/">These are the 4 most unusual ski destinations in Europe<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome of the lower ski resorts in the Alps are closing and basically turning into mountain bike resorts <strong>year-round<\/strong>,\u201d says Beckwith-Ferguson.<\/p>\n<p>For now, at least, Georgia doesn\u2019t have that problem.<\/p>\n<p> In Goderdzi, 109 km from Georgia\u2019s bustling second city, Batumi, the Black Sea dumps so much snow, and so regularly, that the resort can open as early as November.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x454_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"Picturesque backdrops of pine among the snowy slopes\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x216_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x360_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x422_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x466_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x608_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1080_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Picturesque backdrops of pine among the snowy slopes<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Georgia National Tourism Administration (GNTA)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It sticks, too. Ski season in Gudauri and Goderdzi usually goes into April, Beckwith-Ferguson says. <\/p>\n<p>In the backcountry mecca Svaneti - one of Europe\u2019s newest <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2023//11//08//discover-europe-s-wildest-ski-destinations-outside-of-the-alps/">skiing regions<\/strong><\/a> and home to the Tetnuldi and Hatsvali resorts - there\u2019s snow even into May.<\/p>\n<h2>It\u2019s a wild, wild country, but access to quality skiing is second to none in Georgia<\/h2><p> For almost every skier and snowboarder, all roads lead to Gudauri.<\/p>\n<p> A 30-year-old ski resort set above the treeline, Gudauri has everything you could want: <\/p>\n<p>76 km of groomed runs, several ski schools, on-piste bars and restaurants serving Georgia\u2019s famed wine and khinkali (soup dumplings), not to mention the electric afterparties.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also close enough to the capital that you can fly in for a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//07//09//eurostar-snow-take-the-sustainable-route-to-the-alps-this-winter-with-this-new-ski-train/">ski weekend<\/strong><\/a> without using your annual leave.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x454_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"A skiing party chill in the snow in Georgia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x216_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x360_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x422_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x466_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x608_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1080_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A skiing party chill in the snow in Georgia<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Moritz Ablinger\/Georgia National Tourism Administration (GNTA)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an easy day trip. You can be skiing in the morning and out with friends in Tbilisi at night,\u201d says Nino Kurtskhalia, a lifelong skier and former hotel manager from the capital.<\/p>\n<p>Like many Georgians, Kurtskhalia has embraced the sport wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8107562,8838266\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//11//09//why-azerbaijan-is-the-unexpected-ski-destination-you-need-on-your-radar-this-winter/">Why Azerbaijan is the unexpected ski destination you need on your radar this winter<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2023//12//13//germans-in-berlin-and-brits-in-barcelona-europeans-favourite-winter-holiday-spots-revealed/">Germans in Berlin and Brits in Barcelona: Europeans\u2019 favourite winter holiday spots revealed<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Research firm PMCG reported that in 2023 nearly 325,000 domestic tourists - almost one in 10 people in Georgia - visited Bakuriani, the most family-friendly resort featuring a skating rink, sleigh rides, and carnival games. Nearly 319,000 visited Gudauri.<\/p>\n<p>Kurtskhalia has gone to perhaps the greatest length to be one of the regular visitors. Each winter, she makes at least one pilgrimage from her current home in <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//08//07//thailands-best-beaches-bars-and-boat-trips-to-experience-in-2023/">Bangkok./n

/u201cIt/u2019s a must,\u201d she says. \u201cI have to ski.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2>Modern infrastructure with lower prices, Georgia\u2019s ski resorts offer value for money<\/h2><p>Access isn\u2019t the only selling point. Over the past decade, the Georgian government, which owns the country\u2019s ski resorts, has invested millions into improving infrastructure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x454_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"Female skier takes time out on the slopes\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x216_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x360_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x422_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x466_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x608_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1080_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Female skier takes time out on the slopes<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Moritz Ablinger\/Georgia National Tourism Administration (GNTA)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Gudauri, for example, now has more than a dozen lifts - including enclosed gondolas - made by Doppelmayr and Poma, two of the world\u2019s top ski equipment manufacturers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe lift infrastructure is amazing. It\u2019s better than anywhere I\u2019ve skied in the US,\u201d says Beckwith-Ferguson. \u201c[The resorts] keep adding new lifts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They have done so without inflating prices, too.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, seasonal passes offering access to all five resorts cost GEL 650 (\u20ac225) for adults, and day passes were just GEL 70 (\u20ac25). <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGeorgia is probably the most budget-friendly ski destination in Europe. Lift passes, gear hire, accommodation, and apres-ski are a fraction of the cost you find elsewhere,\u201d says Emily Lush, an Australian writer and the Georgia expert behind Wander-Lush.org.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x454_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"The views are epic from Georgia&#39;s snow-blessed slopes\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x216_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x360_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x422_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x466_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x608_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1080_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">The views are epic from Georgia&#39;s snow-blessed slopes<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Georgia National Tourism Administration (GNTA)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThinner crowds are also a big part of the appeal,\u201d she adds. \u201cStepping directly onto a ski lift without having to queue is the norm, even during the peak months.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Georgia has culture and wilderness you can\u2019t experience anywhere else<\/h2><p>Beckwith-Ferguson, Kurtskhalia and Lush can all agree on one thing: Georgia shines brightest off-the-beaten-path.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBackcountry skiing kept me in Georgia the first couple of years,\u201d says Beckwith-Ferguson.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x454_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"Cat skiing is popular in Georgia&#39;s ski resorts\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x216_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x360_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x422_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x466_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x608_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1080_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Cat skiing is popular in Georgia&#39;s ski resorts<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Vagabond Adventures<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn most places, easy-access ski tours where you just drive up to a trailhead, hike, and ski a nice line back down would be crowded,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>But in Georgia, you\u2019ll find \u201ctrue backcountry, true wilderness, with almost no other people around.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s true whether you\u2019re cat-skiing (riding up a mountain on a \u2018snowcat\u2019 machine) in Goderdzi or ski-touring (hiking up, skiing down) around the mediaeval stone towers in Svaneti - one of Kurtskhalia\u2019s favourite winter escapes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6630291005291006\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//86//91//36//808x535_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg/" alt=\"The medieval stone towers of Svaneti\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/384x255_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/640x424_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/750x497_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/828x549_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1080x716_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1200x796_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/1920x1273_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">The medieval stone towers of Svaneti<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Vagabond Adventures<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p> Sometimes, you\u2019ll find Georgia\u2019s best adventures off the piste entirely.<\/p>\n<p>The country claims an 8,000-year winemaking tradition, millennia-old monasteries, and festivals nearly every month. Not to mention a belief that every guest is a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//10//16//hospitality-is-a-labour-of-love-in-georgia-here-are-my-top-tips-for-food-drink-and-hotels/">divine gift<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t have to come back in the summer to see this side of Georgia, either.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8820718,8845276\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//11//13//from-golden-beaches-to-snow-capped-mountains-is-bulgaria-europes-best-year-round-destinati/">From golden beaches to snow-capped mountains: Is Bulgaria Europe\u2019s best year-round destination?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//10//29//this-cyprus-resort-offers-a-free-night-if-guests-dont-get-sun-where-else-is-sunny-all-wint/">This Cyprus resort offers a free night if guests don\u2019t get sun. Where else is sunny all winter?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cTbilisi is an excellent winter destination, especially around December and early January when Christmas and New Year festivities are in full swing,\u201d says Lush. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cCellar visits in Kakheti, museum-hopping in Kutaisi, Georgia\u2019s cultural capital, exploring the monasteries and cave cities around Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti \u2013 it\u2019s all possible throughout winter.\u201d<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732299759,"updatedAt":1732704451,"publishedAt":1732704448,"firstPublishedAt":1732600828,"lastPublishedAt":1732704451,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_db816b46-a594-579e-98e6-24fe94c4c53f-8869136.jpg","altText":"A happy group of skiers in Georgia","caption":"A happy group of skiers in Georgia","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Vagabond Adventures","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4032,"height":3024},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9e3634b3-9627-5bb8-b9b1-9f62edbe3f4f-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_377319b9-8521-59a6-a0e1-9a81b0daed5c-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3cbe90e9-6744-550c-9d9c-e7ada076ef55-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_43a20079-d59d-5b03-a4ed-6f29a3e45e10-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3c70addc-5218-588e-80d1-378dd3a44b47-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_74ecbf64-18e3-59eb-9bbf-fb55fee1a3f0-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7596e7a3-d039-50ee-a62a-5c982fe0b76c-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b4209d81-f925-55ac-9e61-58d24f588511-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1800,"height":1193},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/86\/91\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_1a4233d4-9f7b-5caf-9235-42a1509a81ec-8869136.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":3024,"height":2005}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8523,"slug":"winter-sports","urlSafeValue":"winter-sports","title":"Winter 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Sauers","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"destinations","urlSafeValue":"destinations","title":"Destinations","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/travel\/destinations\/destinations"},"vertical":"travel","verticals":[{"id":7,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":7,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel"},"themes":[{"id":"destinations","urlSafeValue":"destinations","title":"Destinations","url":"\/travel\/destinations"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":28,"urlSafeValue":"destinations","title":"Destinations"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":124,"urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","url":"\/news\/europe\/georgia"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122013","84221001","84222036","84251001","84252009","84252015","84252019"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","alcohol_high_medium_and_low_risk","sports","sports_skiing","travel","travel_by_us_locale","travel_europe","travel_hotels"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/travel\/2024\/11\/27\/reliable-snow-cheap-passes-and-uncrowded-slopes-why-you-should-go-skiing-in-georgia-this-w","lastModified":1732704451},{"id":2687044,"cid":8871960,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241125_E3SU_57110309","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GEORGIA PARLIAMENT PROTESTS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Georgia's new parliament opens first session amid mass protests and boycott","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Georgia's new parliament opens amid opposition boycott and protests","titleListing2":"Thousands protest Georgia's newly elected parliament with opposition boycotting first session","leadin":"The first session of parliament on Monday was half-empty, with only the ruling Georgian Dream Party present, as no opposition parties attended.","summary":"The first session of parliament on Monday was half-empty, with only the ruling Georgian Dream Party present, as no opposition parties attended.","keySentence":"","url":"georgias-new-parliament-opens-first-session-amid-mass-protests-and-boycott","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/25\/georgias-new-parliament-opens-first-session-amid-mass-protests-and-boycott","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Thousands of protesters gathered outside the newly elected Georgian parliament on Monday as it opened its inaugural session, accusing the ruling party of rigging the vote under Russian influence.\n\nOpposition lawmakers and the country's ceremonial president refused to take part in the session, leaving only 88 members of the Georgian Dream party present in the 150-seat assembly.\u00a0\n\nSeveral thousand protesters faced off against scores of riot police outside the parliament, under pouring rain.\n\nThe October election, which saw the Georgian Dream party remain in power, was widely viewed as a referendum on the country's bid to join the European Union.\n\nGeorgia\u2019s Central Election Commission said the party won 54% of the vote in October while Georgian Dream leaders have rejected opposition claims of fraud.\u00a0\n\nEuropean election observers said the election took place in a \u2018divisive\u2019 atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.\u00a0\n\nNika Melia, leader of Coalition for Changes, vowed that the opposition \u201cwill do everything to defeat the so-called government, the self-proclaimed government.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\u201cThis is the fight between people fighting for freedom against people who are trying to entrench the deeply authoritarian regime,\u201d he said.\u00a0\n\nGeorgian President Salome Zourabichvili said on X that the parliament is unconstitutional due to evidence of electoral fraud and refused to open the session as required by the constitution.\n\nZourabichvili filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court, arguing that the constitutional principles of voting secrecy and universality were violated.\u00a0\n\nCritics have accused the Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilting towards Russia. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.\u00a0\n\nThe EU suspended Georgia\u2019s membership process indefinitely after a law passed requiring organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as pursuing the interest of a foreign power \u2014 similar to a law used by Moscow to discredit those critical of the government.\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Thousands of protesters gathered outside the newly elected Georgian parliament on Monday as it opened its inaugural session, accusing the ruling party of rigging the vote under Russian influence.<\/p>\n<p>Opposition lawmakers and the country's ceremonial president refused to take part in the session, leaving only 88 members of the Georgian Dream party present in the 150-seat assembly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Several thousand protesters faced off against scores of riot police outside the parliament, under pouring rain.<\/p>\n<p>The October election, which saw the Georgian Dream party remain in power, was widely viewed as a referendum on the country's bid to join the European Union.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//87//19//60//808x539_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg/" alt=\"Protesters with a Georgian national flag stand in front of police blocking the entrance of the Parliament&#39;s building in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/384x256_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/640x427_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/750x500_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/828x552_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/1080x720_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/1200x800_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/1920x1281_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Protesters with a Georgian national flag stand in front of police blocking the entrance of the Parliament&#39;s building in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Georgia\u2019s Central Election Commission said the party won 54% of the vote in October while Georgian Dream leaders have rejected opposition claims of fraud.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>European election observers said the election took place in a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//10//27//intimidation-international-observers-outline-concerns-in-georgian-elections/">/u2018divisive/u2019 atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Nika Melia, leader of Coalition for Changes, vowed that the opposition \u201cwill do everything to defeat the so-called government, the self-proclaimed government.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the fight between people fighting for freedom against people who are trying to entrench the deeply authoritarian regime,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said on X that the parliament is unconstitutional due to evidence of electoral fraud and refused to open the session as required by the constitution.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1860753403254604136\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Zourabichvili filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court, arguing that the constitutional principles of voting secrecy and universality were violated.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Critics have accused the Georgian Dream of becoming <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//10//25//georgia-at-crossroads-between-eu-and-russia-in-pivotal-tense-election/">increasingly authoritarian<\/strong><\/a> and tilting towards Russia. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The EU <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//05//28//georgia-eu-hopes-fade-as-parliament-set-to-approve-russian-law-on-foreign-agents/">suspended Georgia\u2019s membership process indefinitely after a law passed requiring organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as pursuing the interest of a foreign power \u2014 similar to a law used by Moscow to discredit those critical of the government.\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732529887,"updatedAt":1732555647,"publishedAt":1732539403,"firstPublishedAt":1732539403,"lastPublishedAt":1732545404,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5a0d029b-257d-57d9-a132-c9562dc08adb-8871960.jpg","altText":"A woman with a EU and a Georgian national flags stands in front of police near the Parliament's building in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.","caption":"A woman with a EU and a Georgian national flags stands in front of police near the Parliament's building in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/19\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7cea5d06-44e1-5c69-996e-e16fbef5ebdf-8871960.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2974,"urlSafeValue":"osullivan-d","title":"David O'Sullivan","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia 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PARLIAMENT PROTEST","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Georgian protesters rally in Tbilisi ahead of first session of newly-elected parliament","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Protesters in Georgia accuse government of rigging election results","titleListing2":"Thousands in Georgia stage protest in Tbilisi ahead of first session of newly-elected parliament","leadin":"The round-the-clock protests in Tbilisi follow the 26 October elections that kept the governing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in power. Opponents say the vote was rigged and suspect neighbouring Russia of election interference.","summary":"The round-the-clock protests in Tbilisi follow the 26 October elections that kept the governing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in power. Opponents say the vote was rigged and suspect neighbouring Russia of election interference.","keySentence":"","url":"georgian-protesters-rally-in-tbilisi-ahead-of-first-session-of-newly-elected-parliament","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/25\/georgian-protesters-rally-in-tbilisi-ahead-of-first-session-of-newly-elected-parliament","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Thousands of people have gathered outside the Georgian parliament in the capital Tbilisi to protest ahead of the first session of the newly-elected parliament, scheduled for Monday.\n\nProtesters vowed to spend the night outside parliament to make their voices heard, accusing the populist government of rigging the results of October\u2019s elections.\n\nMembers of opposition parties have also announced their refusal to participate in parliamentary activities.\n\n\"The protest will be going the whole night and tomorrow they have to hear our voice that this elections are rigged and they [the ruling Georgian Dream party] do not have the legitimacy of the Georgian people and legitimacy of international community,\" said leader of the Unity National Movement coalition, Khatia Dekanoidze.\n\nThe round-the-clock protests in Tbilisi follow the 26 October elections that kept the governing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in power.\n\nThe party's billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvil, made his fortune in Russia, and critics have accused him of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.\n\nOpponents say the vote was rigged and suspect neighbouring Russia of election interference.\n\nMany Georgians also viewed the election as a referendum on the country's effort to join the European Union.\n\nThe Central Election Commission said Georgian Dream won about 54% of the vote and party leaders have rejected opposition claims of fraud at the polls.\n\nEuropean election observers said the election took place in a \"divisive\" atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.\n\nZourabichvili pushes back\n\nPro-European President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the election outcome, declared earlier this month that she would appeal the result to the Constitutional Court.\n\nZourabichvili, who holds a mostly ceremonial position, has said Georgia has fallen victim to pressure from Moscow, which takes a hard line against post-Soviet countries joining the EU.\n\nThe EU suspended Georgia's membership application process indefinitely in June after the country\u2019s parliament passed a law requiring organisations 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 and curtail organisations critical of the government.\n\nThe party has also pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Thousands of people have gathered outside the Georgian parliament in the capital Tbilisi to protest ahead of the first session of the newly-elected parliament, scheduled for Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Protesters vowed to spend the night outside parliament to make their voices heard, accusing the populist government of rigging the results of October\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n<p>Members of opposition parties have also announced their refusal to participate in parliamentary activities.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1860605984588095805\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\"The protest will be going the whole night and tomorrow they have to hear our voice that this elections are rigged and they [the ruling Georgian Dream party] do not have the legitimacy of the Georgian people and legitimacy of international community,\" said leader of the Unity National Movement coalition, Khatia Dekanoidze.<\/p>\n<p>The round-the-clock protests in Tbilisi follow the 26 October elections that kept the governing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in power.<\/p>\n<p>The party's billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvil, made his fortune in Russia, and critics have accused him of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents say the vote was rigged and suspect neighbouring Russia of election interference.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//87//11//42//808x539_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg/" alt=\"A protester waves the Georgian flag during an anti-government rally in Tbilisi, 24 November, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/384x256_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/640x427_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/750x500_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/828x552_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/1080x720_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/1200x800_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/1920x1280_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A protester waves the Georgian flag during an anti-government rally in Tbilisi, 24 November, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Many Georgians also viewed the election as a referendum on the country's effort to join the European Union.<\/p>\n<p>The Central Election Commission said Georgian Dream won about 54% of the vote and party leaders have rejected opposition claims of fraud at the polls.<\/p>\n<p>European election observers said the election took place in a \"divisive\" atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.<\/p>\n<h2>Zourabichvili pushes back<\/h2><p>Pro-European President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the election outcome, declared earlier this month that she would appeal the result to the Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1860753403254604136\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Zourabichvili, who holds a mostly ceremonial position, has said Georgia has fallen victim to pressure from Moscow, which takes a hard line against post-Soviet countries joining the EU.<\/p>\n<p>The EU suspended Georgia's membership application process indefinitely in June after the country\u2019s parliament passed a law requiring organisations 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 and curtail organisations critical of the government.<\/p>\n<p>The party has also pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1732489134,"updatedAt":1732544042,"publishedAt":1732496542,"firstPublishedAt":1732496542,"lastPublishedAt":1732544042,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_ac0b9040-35f6-5f68-bb97-aa639ef4f08d-8871142.jpg","altText":"Protesters gather in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi during a rally to demand new elections, 24 November, 2024","caption":"Protesters gather in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi during a rally to demand new elections, 24 November, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5121,"height":2880},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/87\/11\/42\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_71c9d823-08a9-51ce-ae37-6dfbb9b205db-8871142.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5184,"height":3456}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2972,"urlSafeValue":"blackburn","title":"Gavin Blackburn","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":124,"slug":"georgia","urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","titleRaw":"Georgia"},{"id":10597,"slug":"georgia-politics","urlSafeValue":"georgia-politics","title":"Georgia politics","titleRaw":"Georgia politics"},{"id":239,"slug":"russia","urlSafeValue":"russia","title":"Russia","titleRaw":"Russia"},{"id":105,"slug":"european-union","urlSafeValue":"european-union","title":"European Union","titleRaw":"European 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PRESIDENT RESIGNS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Abkhazia's leader resigns after mass protests over 'pro-Moscow' property deal","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Abkhazia's leader resigns after protests over investment deal","titleListing2":"President of Abkhazia resigns after mass protests over 'pro-Moscow' property deal","leadin":"The so-called president of the self-declared parastate of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, has resigned but will withdraw his resignation if protesters do not leave government buildings in Sukhumi by Tuesday.","summary":"The so-called president of the self-declared parastate of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, has resigned but will withdraw his resignation if protesters do not leave government buildings in Sukhumi by Tuesday.","keySentence":"","url":"abkhazias-leader-resigns-after-mass-protests-over-pro-moscow-property-deal","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/11\/19\/abkhazias-leader-resigns-after-mass-protests-over-pro-moscow-property-deal","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The leader of Georgia's self-declared breakaway region of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania has resigned following widespread protests against an investment deal, which opponents claim would increase Russian influence.\n\nDemonstrators in the region's central city of Sukhumi stormed government buildings last Friday, forcing Bzhania to flee and plunging the self-declared parastate into political turmoil.\n\nProtesters occupying government buildings have been given until Tuesday to leave the premises under the terms of a deal negotiated between the Moscow-appointed government and the opposition.\n\nBzhania has warned that he will retract his resignation if the protesters do not comply with the agreement. He also made his participation in the upcoming elections a condition for his resignation.\n\nThe PM of the region Alexander Ankvab has also confirmed that he will leave office alongside Bzhania.\n\nFollowing the resignations, Bzhania's deputy, Badra Gunba, will assume the role of acting president, while former parliamentary speaker Valery Bganba will take over as interim prime minister. \n\nThe unrest was sparked by opposition to a \"property agreement\" between Abkhazia and Russia, which would allow Russian companies to invest in the region. The deal was due to be discussed in parliament on Friday.\n\nOpponents of the agreement argue that it would inflate property prices and increase Moscow's influence in the region.\n\nGeorgia lost control of Abkhazia in the short war following Russia's invasion in 2008. \n\nRussia recognises Abkhazia as an independent country, but the international community does not. The region of about 245,000 people is believed to be a client state of Moscow.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The leader of Georgia's self-declared breakaway region of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania has resigned following widespread protests against an investment deal, which opponents claim would increase Russian influence.<\/p>\n<p>Demonstrators in the region's central city of Sukhumi stormed government buildings last Friday, forcing Bzhania to flee and plunging the self-declared parastate into political turmoil.<\/p>\n<p>Protesters occupying government buildings have been given until Tuesday to leave the premises under the terms of a deal negotiated between the Moscow-appointed government and the opposition.<\/p>\n<p>Bzhania has warned that he will retract his resignation if the protesters do not comply with the agreement. He also made his participation in the upcoming elections a condition for his resignation.<\/p>\n<p>The PM of the region Alexander Ankvab has also confirmed that he will leave office alongside Bzhania.<\/p>\n<p>Following the resignations, Bzhania's deputy, Badra Gunba, will assume the role of acting president, while former parliamentary speaker Valery Bganba will take over as interim prime minister. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8855912\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//11//16//protesters-in-georgia-occupy-abkhazias-regional-parliament/">Protesters in Georgia occupy Abkhazia's regional parliament<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The unrest was sparked by opposition to a \"property agreement\" between Abkhazia and Russia, which would allow Russian companies to invest in the region. The deal was due to be discussed in parliament on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the agreement argue that it would inflate property prices and increase Moscow's influence in the region.<\/p>\n<p>Georgia lost control of Abkhazia in the short war following Russia's invasion in 2008. <\/p>\n<p>Russia recognises Abkhazia as an independent country, but the international community does not. The region of about 245,000 people is believed to be a client state of Moscow.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1731993594,"updatedAt":1732028772,"publishedAt":1732000176,"firstPublishedAt":1732000176,"lastPublishedAt":1732013758,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/97\/64\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f9fc7758-51ba-59fd-a5e5-bc12ed80f2eb-8859764.jpg","altText":"FILE PHOTO - President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania","caption":"FILE PHOTO - President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":4046,"height":2276}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":4378,"slug":"protest","urlSafeValue":"protest","title":"Protest","titleRaw":"Protest"},{"id":7942,"slug":"presidential-elections","urlSafeValue":"presidential-elections","title":"Presidential elections","titleRaw":"Presidential elections"},{"id":10357,"slug":"abkhazia","urlSafeValue":"abkhazia","title":"Abkhazia","titleRaw":"Abkhazia"},{"id":11286,"slug":"opposition","urlSafeValue":"opposition","title":"Opposition","titleRaw":"Opposition"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"t1iE9fSri3U","dailymotionId":"x99ehbg"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/11\/19\/en\/241119_NWSU_57056187_57059806_61000_115322_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":61000,"filesizeBytes":8241916,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/11\/19\/en\/241119_NWSU_57056187_57059806_61000_115322_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":61000,"filesizeBytes":12337916,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":124,"urlSafeValue":"georgia","title":"Georgia","url":"\/news\/europe\/georgia"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isAutomatic":1,"isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"ru","storyId":8859768,"online":1},"path":"\/2024\/11\/19\/abkhazias-leader-resigns-after-mass-protests-over-pro-moscow-property-deal","lastModified":1732013758},{"id":2681280,"cid":8858644,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241118_E3SU_57050076","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GEORGIA PROTESTS ELECTIONS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Georgian opposition starts round-the-clock protest in Tbilisi calling for election rerun","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Protesters set up camp in Tbilisi to contest elections results","titleListing2":"Georgian opposition starts round-the-clock protest in Tbilisi calling for election rerun","leadin":"The demonstrators claim that the country's recent parliamentary elections were rigged and are demanding a rerun.","summary":"The demonstrators claim that the country's recent parliamentary elections were rigged and are demanding a rerun.","keySentence":"","url":"georgian-opposition-starts-round-the-clock-protest-in-tbilisi-calling-for-election-rerun","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/11\/18\/georgian-opposition-starts-round-the-clock-protest-in-tbilisi-calling-for-election-rerun","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Georgia\u2019s opposition and its supporters started round-the-clock protests on the streets of Tbilisi \u2013 calling for new parliamentary elections after voting they allege was tampered with.\u00a0\n\nThe protesters rejected the results of the country\u2019s recent election amid allegations the vote was rigged, an accusation which ruling party Georgian Dream denies.\u00a0\n\nDemonstrators blocked one of the capital\u2019s central streets on Sunday, vowing to remain there until their demands are met.\u00a0\n\nEuropean election observers have described the Georgian parliamentary elections as taking place in a \"divisive\" atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.\u00a0\n\nThe newly elected parliament\u2019s first session is scheduled to take place on 25 November, but members of opposition parties have announced their intent to boycott it.\u00a0\n\nMany Georgians viewed the vote as a pivotal referendum on the country\u2019s effort to join the European Union.\u00a0\n\nThe bloc suspended Georgia\u2019s membership application process indefinitely in June after the country\u2019s parliament passed a \u201cforeign influence law\u201d that critics say mimics Moscow\u2019s crackdown on civil society.\u00a0\n\nCritics have accused the ruling Georgian Dream, established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia, of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.\u00a0\n\nIt has recently adopted laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.\u00a0\n\nSpeaking during a Cabinet session on Monday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, stated that \"weakening the radical opposition\" was one his government's key tasks.\"\u00a0\n\n\"We are dealing with people without a homeland, whose weakening is solely beneficial for the development of our country and state,\" he said.\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Georgia\u2019s opposition and its supporters started round-the-clock protests on the streets of Tbilisi \u2013 calling for new parliamentary elections after voting they allege was tampered with.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The protesters rejected the results of the country\u2019s recent election amid <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//10//29//thousands-protest-in-georgia-to-denounce-rigged-election-results/">allegations the vote was rigged<\/strong><\/a>, an accusation which ruling party Georgian Dream denies.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Demonstrators blocked one of the capital\u2019s central streets on Sunday, vowing to remain there until their demands are met.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>European election observers have described the Georgian parliamentary elections as taking place in a \"divisive\" atmosphere marked by instances of <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//10//30//georgian-officials-probe-election-fraud-claims-amid-opposition-outcry/">bribery, double voting and physical violence.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//85//86//44//808x539_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg/" alt=\"Protesters warm themselves at a bonfire during a rally against results of the parliamentary elections amid allegations that the vote was rigged in Tbilisi, Georgia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/384x256_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/640x427_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/750x500_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/828x552_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/1080x720_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/1200x800_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/1920x1281_cmsv2_cf8940ac-b042-52d0-bf3f-69a495f3d7ad-8858644.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Protesters warm themselves at a bonfire during a rally against results of the parliamentary elections amid allegations that the vote was rigged in Tbilisi, Georgia<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Zurab Tsertsvadze\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The newly elected parliament\u2019s first session is scheduled to take place on 25 November, but members of opposition parties have announced their intent to boycott it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Many Georgians viewed the vote as a pivotal referendum on the country\u2019s effort to <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//10//31//did-we-just-witness-georgia-go-from-dream-to-nightmare/">join the European Union.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The bloc suspended Georgia\u2019s membership application process indefinitely in June after the country\u2019s parliament passed a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//05//24//georgia-at-the-crossroads-as-foreign-influence-law-deepens-divisions/">/u201cforeign influence law\u201d<\/strong><\/a> that critics say mimics Moscow\u2019s crackdown on civil society.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Critics have accused the ruling Georgian Dream, established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia, of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It has <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//10//25//georgia-prepares-for-a-bitterly-divided-election-which-could-determine-its-future-in-europ/">recently adopted laws<\/strong><\/a> similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//09//19//georgias-government-adopts-anti-lgbtq-law-raising-concerns-ahead-of-elections/">LGBTQ+ rights.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Speaking during a Cabinet session on Monday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, stated that \"weakening the radical opposition\" was one his government's key tasks.\"\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\"We are dealing with people without a homeland, whose weakening is solely beneficial for the development of our country and state,\" he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1731932545,"updatedAt":1731942027,"publishedAt":1731940754,"firstPublishedAt":1731940754,"lastPublishedAt":1731940754,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/85\/86\/44\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0a5e2ff1-8079-528e-9f5c-8ba8f50080c9-8858644.jpg","altText":"Protesters warm themselves at a bonfire during a rally against results of the parliamentary elections amid allegations that the vote was rigged in Tbilisi, Georgia","caption":"Protesters warm themselves at a bonfire during a rally against results of the parliamentary elections amid allegations that the vote was rigged in Tbilisi, Georgia","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP 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