12/3/2024 – Translated from Ukrainian via Google and OFP
For several days, mass protests have been raging in Georgia against the freezing of negotiations on the country’s accession to the EU until 2028, which was announced by the country’s head of government, Iraklii Kobakhidze, and against the falsification of elections.
Starting from November 30, that is, after Kobakhidze’s statement, mass protests began not only in Tbilisi, but also in Batumi, Kutaisi, Poti, Telavi and other cities. Water cannons and rubber bullets have been used against protesters, and dozens of people have been arrested for “disobeying lawful police orders and petty hooliganism.”
The Georgian opposition believes that the country is rapidly moving towards a dictatorship, and the ruling party “Georgian Dream” and its “master” Ivanishvili, who made a fortune in the Russian Federation, are increasingly pulling it into the orbit of the Kremlin.
Against the background of popular protests, Georgian diplomats began to resign. A certain part of big Georgian business joined the criticism of the actions of the parliament.
Protests are gaining momentum
Protests are not abating in Georgia. The epicenter of the protest remains the central Tbilisi square near the parliament. Protesters flock here every night, and every day these actions look less and less like the former peaceful protests, which were accompanied by music.
The beginning of popular anger was due to the fact that “Georgian Dream” announced a victory in the parliamentary elections, which the opposition called falsified. However, even greater anger and resistance in Georgia was caused by the fact that the ruling party announced the end of negotiations on EU accession until 2028, although the country’s constitution clearly states the goal of EU accession. This immediately caused even more massive protests, given that, according to various polls, 70-80% of the country’s residents would like it to join the European Union. Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Gori – the geography of protest actions is expanding, as well as their scale.
It seems that the current Georgian authorities have overestimated their own strength – the decision to postpone negotiations with the EU is politically unfounded, as it does not reflect the real request of a large part of Georgians to be a part of Europe. The future development of events still remains unclear, but if the government’s calculation was for a show of force, it did not work, because the brutal detentions and beatings of demonstrators by special forces in the first nights of the protests increased the number of protesters many times.
At the same time, the leading party and its founder Ivanishvili have a great motivation to keep power firmly in their hands – too many enemies have been made inside the country and enemies in the West. The loss of power could lead to Saakashvili being free and Ivanishvili taking his place behind bars.
The president of the protest
The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, said that she considers the parliament illegitimate. She added that she intends to remain in her post “until a legally elected parliament appears.” Ms. Zurabishvili called the decision of the ruling party “Georgian Dream” to postpone joining the EU a constitutional coup.
“There is no legitimate parliament, and, accordingly, an illegitimate parliament will not be able to elect a new president. Therefore, there can be no inauguration. And my mandate continues until a legitimately elected parliament is formed,” Zurabishvili said in a televised address.
For his part, Prime Minister of Georgia Kobakhidze noted that holding any negotiations with the opposition forces is “out of the question”. He also rejected the protesters’ demands for new parliamentary elections and made it clear that the Georgian authorities are not even considering such an option.
Georgia is a parliamentary republic in which the president has nominal powers, but despite this, Zurabishvili is now becoming a key figure in the resistance to the ruling party’s policies. On December 14, Georgia will hold presidential elections, which will be held in the parliament. The ruling Georgian Dream party plans to elect a new president with the help of its parliamentary majority.
The authorities are losing the monolith
Hundreds of officials from the country’s ministries of foreign affairs, defense, education and justice signed open letters denouncing the freeze on negotiations as unconstitutional. A number of universities have said they are suspending classes amid the unrest, calling on the government to reconsider its position.
More than 135 Georgian diplomats have signed a statement condemning the authorities’ decision to postpone EU accession negotiations until 2028. Several Georgian ambassadors resigned in protest, including: Georgian Ambassador to the USA David Zalkaliani, Georgian Ambassadors to Bulgaria and the Netherlands, as well as V. at. ambassador of Italy Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Teimuraz Janjalia also left his post.
Several dozen employees of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia also expressed their commitment to the course for joining the EU and NATO. Some of the employees of the Constitutional Court of Georgia also called on the authorities to reconsider the decision to freeze negotiations on joining the European Union. They believe that this decision of the government “ignores the constitutional will of the citizens of Georgia” and contradicts the article of the basic law, according to which the constitutional bodies must take all measures to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the EU and NATO.
Statements of commitment to Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic course and 78 articles of the constitution were made in response to the government’s decision by employees of other state institutions and departments, including the Tbilisi City Hall and the National Bank of Georgia.
Against this background, the radio station Tbilisi FM93.5 claims that Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze and the head of the State Security Service (SSB) Grigol Liluashvili will soon be forced to resign. With reference to its own sources, the radio station claims that Bidzina Ivanishvili, the pro-Russian oligarch and de facto owner of “Georgian Dream”, is dissatisfied. But he assures that the surge of mass protests in Georgia in recent days came as a surprise to him; and Ivanishvili believes that the head of the Security Service “didn’t pay attention,” and Kobakhidze made insufficiently correct statements.
Big business supported the protesters
The country’s two largest banks, Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank, communications operators Magticom and Silknet, developer ORBI Group, as well as the country’s largest car dealership, Tegeta, opposed the government’s decision to suspend European integration and supported the protesters, reports The Bell.
“The European and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia is the historical choice of the absolute majority of our people, which is enshrined in Article 78 of the Georgian constitution. We firmly believe that the temporary suspension of European integration is against the will of the Georgian people and the Georgian constitution. TBC has always been and remains an unconditional supporter of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia “, TBC Bank said in a statement.
Magticom condemned the actions of the security forces in dispersing the protesters, while Tegeta noted that the current crisis situation harms the future of the country and threatens “development and common goals”.
A serious process of power erosion has begun
After the Georgian authorities simply falsified the election results, and they falsified not as usual by 5-6%, but they had to falsify much more, somewhere around 15-17%. Of course, all this caused dissatisfaction among Georgians and a request for a protest. Then the authorities themselves provided an even greater trigger for the start of really massive protests – with their statement on the termination of the European integration process. I have a feeling that the current Georgian authorities have done this quite consciously in order to provoke a protest that may turn into violence, which will eventually allow them to really clean up the political field of Georgia, restrict civil liberties and so on. At least, in my opinion, that was the primary plan. But they did not expect the current scope and scale of discontent – noted in an exclusive comment for OBOZ.UA the analyst of the Georgian Center for Strategic Analysis Gela Vasadze.
According to the expert, it is necessary to understand well what is happening in Georgia today – it is a protest of an active part of society, and the leaders of the opposition there are ordinary ordinary participants. Today they are not very popular. Therefore, there are leaders somewhere, they make some political statements, but the protest is by itself, the politicians are by themselves. At least now.
“Regarding numerous statements from civil servants in support of the protesters’ demands, a very serious process of power erosion has begun. That is, many civil servants are simply playing back, saying, sorry, guys, yes, we were ready for a lot, but we did not sign up for such a thing. This means that the case in relation to European integration, it is actually a marker of whether Georgia will be in the Russian orbit or not. And, let’s be honest, many of those who voted for “Dream” [the ruling, russian-influenced party–OFP] believed that the authorities would agree with Europe and everything would be as before. And now, when they see what is really happening, of course, the situation is completely different,” Vasadze said.
As for the further development of events, according to Gela Vasadze, Zurabishvili has now proposed to return the old parliament in order to get out of this situation in a legitimate way and, accordingly, hold new elections. Most likely, the authorities will not agree to this, and then it is already possible that a separate political center will be created – and the state with its administrative apparatus will come under the control of this center.
“Of course, the situation in the country can be calmed down if “Mriya” remembers that, in addition to going forward, there is also going backwards, and simply removes its crazy laws that were voted, and agrees to re-elections. After all, there is far more than the law on foreign agents , there are much more serious laws about the courts and about the electoral system. it has limited power resources, to suppress the protests and clear the political field of Georgia, but we still find ourselves in the “Russian world”. It is difficult for me to say what will happen next, but I hope that there will be no last option, “said Gela Vasadze.
“It seems that the current Georgian authorities have overestimated their own strength – the decision to postpone negotiations with the EU is politically unfounded…”
It was also political suicide, so it seems.
Much strength to the Georgian people. Let’s hope mafia land is too weak to interfere. This will give the people a real fighting chance to wrest free from this emerging dictatorship.
Pre-Saakashvili, Georgia ran a violent Soviet-type police/security apparatus that was also intensely corrupt.
Miraculously Saakash transformed it into a professional outfit. Georgian police were known as the nicest, politest police anywhere in the world.
The “Russian Nightmare” has had 12 years to reverse it back to what it was.
Injuries to protesters are revealing a savage pattern : smashed sculls, smashed jaws, smashed teeth and smashed noses.
All the protesters have is bravery, determination and righteousness. No weapons and zero outside help.
My prayers and hopes are with the Georgian people.
Amen Sir Cap!