Tbilisi (AFP) – Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze vowed opposition arrests Sunday after police used force against opposition protesters who tried to enter the presidential palace in what he termed was a coup bid during a controversial election.
Issued on: 05/10/2025 - RFI
Saturday saw protesters burn barricades and clash with police during an opposition rally on the day of local elections © GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE / AFP
Saturday's local polls were the ruling populist Georgian Dream party's first electoral test since a disputed parliamentary vote a year ago plunged the Black Sea nation into turmoil and prompted Brussels to effectively freeze the EU-candidate country's accession bid.
The central election commission said Georgian Dream had secured municipal council majorities in every municipality and that its candidates scored landslide wins in mayoral races in all cities.
The normally low-key local elections have acquired high stakes after months of raids on independent media, restrictions on civil society and the jailing of dozens of opponents and activists.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators flooded Tbilisi's Freedom Square after the opposition urged a "last-chance" election-day protest to save democracy.
A group of protesters later tried to enter the presidential palace, prompting riot police to use tear gas and water cannons to repel the crowd.
Saturday's local polls were the ruling populist Georgian Dream party's first electoral test since a disputed parliamentary vote a year ago plunged the Black Sea nation into turmoil and prompted Brussels to effectively freeze the EU-candidate country's accession bid.
The central election commission said Georgian Dream had secured municipal council majorities in every municipality and that its candidates scored landslide wins in mayoral races in all cities.
The normally low-key local elections have acquired high stakes after months of raids on independent media, restrictions on civil society and the jailing of dozens of opponents and activists.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators flooded Tbilisi's Freedom Square after the opposition urged a "last-chance" election-day protest to save democracy.
A group of protesters later tried to enter the presidential palace, prompting riot police to use tear gas and water cannons to repel the crowd.
'Attempted coup'
The interior ministry said on Saturday it had opened an investigation into "calls to violently alter Georgia's constitutional order or overthrow state authority" and arrested five protest leaders who face up to nine years in prison.
Riot police disperse protesters © Giorgi ARJEVANIDZE / AFP
Among those arrested was a world-renowned opera singer and activist Paata Burchuladze who read out at the rally -- to loud applause -- a declaration claiming "power returns to the people," branding the government "illegitimate" and announcing a transition.
The pro-opposition Pirveli TV reported that the 70-year-old, was detained in the intensive care unit of a Tbilisi hospital, where he was being treated for a heart attack.
"Several people have already been arrested -- first and foremost the organisers of the attempted overthrow," Prime Minister Kobakhidze told journalists.
"No one will go unpunished... many more must expect sentences for the violence they carried out against the state and law-enforcement."
The government has "foiled an attempted coup planned by foreign intelligence services," he said earlier without giving details.
'Severe reprisals'
"This political force -- the foreign agents' network -- will be completely neutralised and will no longer be allowed to be active in Georgian politics," he said, referring to Georgia's main opposition force, jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement.
Among those arrested was a world-renowned opera singer and activist Paata Burchuladze who read out at the rally -- to loud applause -- a declaration claiming "power returns to the people," branding the government "illegitimate" and announcing a transition.
The pro-opposition Pirveli TV reported that the 70-year-old, was detained in the intensive care unit of a Tbilisi hospital, where he was being treated for a heart attack.
"Several people have already been arrested -- first and foremost the organisers of the attempted overthrow," Prime Minister Kobakhidze told journalists.
"No one will go unpunished... many more must expect sentences for the violence they carried out against the state and law-enforcement."
The government has "foiled an attempted coup planned by foreign intelligence services," he said earlier without giving details.
'Severe reprisals'
"This political force -- the foreign agents' network -- will be completely neutralised and will no longer be allowed to be active in Georgian politics," he said, referring to Georgia's main opposition force, jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze vowed a strong response
© Ludovic MARIN / AFP/File
Saakashvili had urged supporters to stage a "last-chance" election-day protest to "save Georgian democracy."
Georgian Dream has vowed to ban all major opposition parties.
Rights groups say some 60 people -- among them key opposition figures, journalists and activists -- have been jailed over the past year.
Amnesty International said the elections were "taking place amid severe political reprisals against opposition figures and civil society".
In power since 2012, the party has faced accusations of democratic backsliding, drifting towards Russia and derailing Georgia's EU-membership bid enshrined in the country's constitution.
Georgian Dream rejects the allegations, saying it is safeguarding "stability" in the country of four million while a Western "deep state" seeks to drag the country into the war in Ukraine with the help of opposition parties.
Analysts say its blunt pitch -- claiming that the opposition wants war, but it wants peace -- resonates in rural areas and is amplified by disinformation.
A recent survey by the Institute of Social Studies and Analysis put the party's approval rating at about 36 percent, against 54 percent for opposition groups.
Saakashvili had urged supporters to stage a "last-chance" election-day protest to "save Georgian democracy."
Georgian Dream has vowed to ban all major opposition parties.
Rights groups say some 60 people -- among them key opposition figures, journalists and activists -- have been jailed over the past year.
Amnesty International said the elections were "taking place amid severe political reprisals against opposition figures and civil society".
In power since 2012, the party has faced accusations of democratic backsliding, drifting towards Russia and derailing Georgia's EU-membership bid enshrined in the country's constitution.
Georgian Dream rejects the allegations, saying it is safeguarding "stability" in the country of four million while a Western "deep state" seeks to drag the country into the war in Ukraine with the help of opposition parties.
Analysts say its blunt pitch -- claiming that the opposition wants war, but it wants peace -- resonates in rural areas and is amplified by disinformation.
A recent survey by the Institute of Social Studies and Analysis put the party's approval rating at about 36 percent, against 54 percent for opposition groups.
Georgian PM vows crackdown on opposition after protests, accuses EU of meddling
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that up to 7,000 people attended a rally on Saturday, in a failed "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order" which he alleged was supported by the European Union. Kobakhidze vowed opposition arrests on Sunday, adding that they "will no longer be allowed to be active in Georgian politics".
Issued on: 05/10/2025
By: FRANCE 24
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that up to 7,000 people attended a rally on Saturday, in a failed "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order" which he alleged was supported by the European Union. Kobakhidze vowed opposition arrests on Sunday, adding that they "will no longer be allowed to be active in Georgian politics".
Issued on: 05/10/2025
By: FRANCE 24
Protesters attempt to break into the presidential palace grounds during an opposition rally on the day of local elections in Tbilisi, Georgia on October 4, 2025.
© Irakli Gedenidze, Reuters
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Sunday that protesters who sought to force entry to the presidential palace had been trying to topple the government and accused the European Union of meddling in Georgian politics.
Kobakhidze vowed opposition arrests Sunday after the ruling party won local elections and police used force against protesters.
"Several people have already been arrested – first and foremost the organisers of the attempted overthrow," he told journalists, saying the country's main opposition force "will no longer be allowed to be active in Georgian politics".
Georgian riot police used pepper spray and water cannons to drive demonstrators away from the presidential palace and detained five activists on Saturday, as the opposition staged a large demonstration on a day of local elections.
Kobakhidze said that up to 7,000 people attended the rally but their "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order" had failed despite what he said was support from the EU.
"They moved to action, began the overthrow attempt, it failed, and then they started distancing themselves from it," Georgian news agency Interpress cited the prime minister.
"No one will escape responsibility. This includes political responsibility."
He accused EU Ambassador Paweł Herczynski of meddling in Georgian politics and urged him to condemn the protests.
"You know that specific people from abroad have even expressed direct support for all this, for the announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order," Kobakhidze said.
"In this context, the European Union ambassador to Georgia bears special responsibility. He should come out, distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi."
There was no immediate comment from the EU on the claims, but in July the EU's diplomatic service rejected what it said was the "disinformation and baseless accusations" by the Georgian authorities about the EU's alleged role in Georgia.
"Recent statements falsely claiming that the EU seeks to destabilize Georgia, drag it into war or impose so-called 'non-traditional values,' constitute a deliberate attempt to mislead the public," it said in July.
The governing Georgian Dream party said on Saturday it had clinched victory in every municipality across the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people in an election boycotted by the two largest opposition blocs.
Georgia's pro-Western opposition has been staging protests since October last year, when GD won a parliamentary election that its critics say was fraudulent. The party has rejected accusations of vote-rigging.
Once one of the most pro-Western nations to emerge from the ashes of the Soviet Union, Georgia has had frayed relations with the West since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Sunday that protesters who sought to force entry to the presidential palace had been trying to topple the government and accused the European Union of meddling in Georgian politics.
Kobakhidze vowed opposition arrests Sunday after the ruling party won local elections and police used force against protesters.
"Several people have already been arrested – first and foremost the organisers of the attempted overthrow," he told journalists, saying the country's main opposition force "will no longer be allowed to be active in Georgian politics".
Georgian riot police used pepper spray and water cannons to drive demonstrators away from the presidential palace and detained five activists on Saturday, as the opposition staged a large demonstration on a day of local elections.
Kobakhidze said that up to 7,000 people attended the rally but their "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order" had failed despite what he said was support from the EU.
"They moved to action, began the overthrow attempt, it failed, and then they started distancing themselves from it," Georgian news agency Interpress cited the prime minister.
"No one will escape responsibility. This includes political responsibility."
He accused EU Ambassador Paweł Herczynski of meddling in Georgian politics and urged him to condemn the protests.
"You know that specific people from abroad have even expressed direct support for all this, for the announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order," Kobakhidze said.
"In this context, the European Union ambassador to Georgia bears special responsibility. He should come out, distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi."
There was no immediate comment from the EU on the claims, but in July the EU's diplomatic service rejected what it said was the "disinformation and baseless accusations" by the Georgian authorities about the EU's alleged role in Georgia.
"Recent statements falsely claiming that the EU seeks to destabilize Georgia, drag it into war or impose so-called 'non-traditional values,' constitute a deliberate attempt to mislead the public," it said in July.
The governing Georgian Dream party said on Saturday it had clinched victory in every municipality across the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people in an election boycotted by the two largest opposition blocs.
Georgia's pro-Western opposition has been staging protests since October last year, when GD won a parliamentary election that its critics say was fraudulent. The party has rejected accusations of vote-rigging.
Once one of the most pro-Western nations to emerge from the ashes of the Soviet Union, Georgia has had frayed relations with the West since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)
No comments:
Post a Comment