Georgia erupts: Fireworks vs riot police as EU dreams fade away
Pro-EU protesters in Georgia clash with police using home-made weapons while fighting against delayed European integration. Mass-protests follow disputed elections and governmentʼs decision to postpone EU talks
In Tbilisiʼs heart protesters faced-off with riot police using self-made firework launchers‚ marking the third night of un-rest. The police (equipped with water-cannons and tear-gas) tried to control crowds angry about the governments EU-related choices
The ruling party Georgian Dream won oct/24 elections which opposition calls fake. Irakli Kobakhidze the prime-minister made things worse by saying Georgia wont talk with EU till 28ʼ which made people real mad
I am afraid that many people will get injured but I am not afraid to stand here
The situation got real messy: about hundred people got arrested; police beat-up protesters and even news-people in the streets. Lots of smart-minded government workers quit their jobs cause they dont like whats happening; including some big-shot diplomats
- Foreign office staff left
- Defense ministry people walked out
- Education workers stopped working
- Judges wrote angry letters
President Salome Zurabichvili made a special group called national council to fix things up. She wants new elections and says she wont quit till they happen. Election-watchers found proof of cheating which made EU ask for checking things out
The US stopped being friends with Georgia cause of all this mess — they dont like how police treat people who just want to speak up. Other countries like France Britain and Ukraine also said theyʼre not happy about whats going on in this black-sea country
