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Georgia has postponed its bid to affix the EU after the European Parliament voted to reject the outcomes of the nation’s current election.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the bloc of “blackmail” and stated his authorities would drop its pursuit of membership “until the end of 2028”.
It got here hours after European legislators referred to as for final month’s parliamentary elections in Georgia to be re-run, citing “significant irregularities”.
Kobakhidze’s announcement sparked protests in cities throughout Georgia, with 1000’s gathering outdoors the parliament constructing in capital Tbilisi, blocking site visitors and waving EU flags.
Since 2012, Georgia has been ruled by the Georgian Dream occasion, which critics have accused of making an attempt to maneuver the nation away from the EU and nearer to Russia.
The occasion claimed victory in final month’s election, however opposition MPs are boycotting the brand new parliament, alleging fraud, whereas the nation’s President, Salome Zurabishvili, has referred to as the vote “unconstitutional”.
On Thursday, the European Parliament backed a resolution describing the election as the most recent stage in Georgia’s “worsening democratic crisis” and saying that the ruling occasion was “fully responsible”.
It expressed explicit concern about stories of vote shopping for and manipulation, voter intimidation and harassment of observers.
Following the decision, Kobakhidze stated his authorities had “decided not to bring up the issue of joining the European Union on the agenda until the end of 2028”.
Georgia has had official EU candidate standing since 2023, although Brussels had already halted the accession course of earlier this 12 months over a Russia-style law concentrating on organisations accused of “pursuing the interests of a foreign power”.
Kobakhidze stated Georgia would proceed to implement the reforms required for accession and that it nonetheless deliberate to affix by 2030, however added that it was “crucial for the EU to respect our national interests and traditional values”.
Former Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili advised the BBC the nation was at an “unprecedented” turning level.
“Since we were independent 30 years ago, we were clearly pro-western, we were clearly pro-Nato and clearly pro-EU and this was uniting any government that was in place.
“But on this case, we see that there’s a co-ordinated, I might say operation, which is co-ordinated by the bunch of people who find themselves controlling energy in Tbilisi and the Kremlin to mainly deliver Georgia as quick as that is attainable to Russian orbit.”
A tense stand-off between protesters and riot police continued through the night in Tbilisi on Thursday.
Demonstrators set up barricades in the streets, while police used pepper spray and water cannon on the crowds.
“Georgian Dream did not win the elections. It staged a coup,” said 20-year-old Shota Sabashvili.
“There isn’t any reliable parliament or authorities in Georgia. We is not going to let this self-proclaimed prime minister destroy our European future.”
Ana, a student, said Georgian Dream was “going towards Georgian individuals’s will and wish to drag us again to USSR”
“That won’t ever occur as a result of Georgian individuals won’t ever let this occur,” she advised the Associated Press.
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