FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
In Georgia, tense protests that erupted in Tbilisi on Saturday have ended in clashes between police and citizens, as thousands of people gathered to oppose the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Police used pepper spray and water cannons to disperse protesters who attempted to enter the presidential palace, while the Interior Ministry stated that the demonstrators had "exceeded the limits permitted by law."
The protesters, called by opposition parties and civic organizations, began gathering on the main streets of the capital immediately after the voting process for the local elections began on October 4. According to the organizers, their goal is the “peaceful overthrow of the government” and the “return of the daily protests” that began last year following suspicions of rigging of the parliamentary elections and the government’s decision to suspend talks with the European Union.
After months of calm, this weekend's protests turned into direct confrontations with police. At around 7:00 p.m., the crowd began marching toward the presidential palace, where tensions reached a peak. Reports from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Georgia Service confirm that there were physical clashes between protesters and police, and unidentified objects were thrown by the crowd.
In her reaction, former President Salome Zurabishvili, who has previously supported peaceful protests against the government, condemned the violent actions of some protesters, emphasizing:
"As a legitimate president, I oppose any act of violence and stand by my people peacefully until we reach new elections."
Opposition movements accuse the "Georgian Dream" government of rapprochement with Russia and hindering European integration, while the government claims that the protests are being instigated by foreign forces to destabilize the country.
Despite police intervention, thousands of citizens remained on the streets overnight, calling for the government to resign and early elections. Analysts warn that political tensions in Georgia could deepen as the country finds itself at a critical juncture between pressure for pro-Western reforms and the growing influence of pro-Russian forces.
Lini një Përgjigje