TBILISI, December 29. /TASS/. Anti-government protesters have again staged a rally in front of the parliamentary building in downtown Tbilisi and blocked the main street, a TASS correspondent reported from site.
The rally participants are demanding to release those earlier detained for disturbances and to hold new parliamentary elections. The situation in front of the parliament is calm with no police reinforcements brought in.
Earlier on Sunday, another rally was held protesting the inauguration of Georgia’s new President Mikheil Kavelashvili. According to the protesters, the results of the October 26 parliamentary elections were falsified and Kavelashvili had not right to take office.
A new wave of anti-government rallies began in Georgia on November 28, triggered by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze saying that the ruling Georgian Dream — Democratic Georgia party had decided to postpone any talk about launching EU accession negotiations until late 2028 and decline any funding from the European Union. According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country’s parliament.
Kobakhidze’s statement was followed by protests in downtown Tbilisi. Protest rallies in front of the parliamentary building grew into clashes with the police who used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.