Georgian PM cynically thanks security forces for dispersing protests
Georgia's Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze (Photo: Getty Images)
Georgia's Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, thanked security forces for dispersing protests. The "clearing" of demonstrations was accompanied by clashes and arrests, Sova reports.
Kobakhidze thanked Georgia's Minister of Internal Affairs for the "well-executed work" after yet another crackdown on a protest in Tbilisi. He stated that law enforcement performed better than in the US and Europe.
"Thank you, Mr. Vakhang Gomelauri (Minister of Internal Affairs), personally and to every police officer. Their role in managing these processes was special and very important. Thank you to every police officer for their patience. We know many facts about what police endured during these days," said the Georgian Prime Minister.
Kobakhidze also repeated the claim that the protests had allegedly been coordinated in advance and involved "foreign funding."
Protests in Georgia
Large-scale protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party continue in Tbilisi and other cities. The demonstrations were triggered by the government's statement to suspend the European integration process until 2028.
Georgian security forces are trying to disperse the protests, with police using water cannons and tear gas several times. Protesters used pyrotechnics and various objects against law enforcement.
Furthermore, the crackdowns on protests are accompanied by arrests. For example, Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the opposition party Coalition for Change, and several journalists were arrested in Tbilisi.
