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US embassy continues to encourage protests in Georgia, Tbilisi official says

Mamuka Mdinaradze expressed hope that the US embassy in Tbilisi would soon change its tactics and fall in line with Washington’s policy

TBILISI, February 3. /TASS/. The US embassy continues to encourage protests in Georgia, Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of the country’s ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party, said at a briefing.

"The US embassy in Georgia is still encouraging these protests, including what happened yesterday," he said.

The politician welcomed statements by US officials about plans to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and expressed hope that the US embassy in Tbilisi would soon change its tactics and fall in line with Washington’s policy.

On Sunday, members of Georgian opposition parties and their supporters, as well as civil activists, held a protest near a shopping mall in the country’s capital of Tbilisi, also trying to block a highway. After police prevented them from doing so, the demonstrators engaged in clashes with law enforcement officers. Some of the protesters suffered injuries.

Protests broke out in Tbilisi on November 28 after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the ruling party had decided to postpone any talk about launching EU accession negotiations. The first week of protests was the most intense but later, demonstrations took a more peaceful turn. Since then, rallies have been taking place near the parliament building every day, with protesters voluntarily leaving the area at about midnight.

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United States Georgia

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