TBILISI, December 4. /TASS/. At least 15 people were injured during clashes at a rally near the parliament building in Tbilisi on December 3, the Georgian Health Ministry reported.

According to it, 11 of the 15 people hospitalized were protesters, three were media representatives, and one was a police officer. Several of the injured remain in hospital under medical supervision, while others have been discharged on an outpatient basis.

In the evening of December 3, another anti-government rally was held near the Georgian parliament building in Tbilisi. The rally was peaceful for a long time, but then escalated into clashes with the police. Security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters from the parliament building.

The new wave of protests was triggered by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's statement on November 28, when he said that the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party had decided to postpone any talks on starting EU accession negotiations until the end of 2028 and to refuse any funding from the organization. According to the prime minister, the decision comes after regular EU blackmail in connection with the talks, along with demands to repeal some recent laws and sanction Georgian officials.