Irakli Kobachidze refuses negotiations with the opposition.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze said on Monday that Georgia will continue to seek EU membership despite the government’s decision to suspend accession negotiations until 2028. However, he ruled out discussing the matter with the opposition, which is organizing anti-government protests. TASR reports according to the Reuters and AFP agencies.
“I want to assure everyone that European integration is not being postponed, but will continue with maximum effort,” Kobachidze declared at a press conference after four days of pro-European protests. However, he emphasized that he would not conduct “any negotiations” with the opposition.
The decision to suspend accession negotiations with the EU until 2028 was announced by the Georgian Prime Minister on Thursday. It caused strong opposition from the opposition, citizens, and Georgian diplomats.
The opposition and citizens staged anti-government protests, which continued for a fourth day on Sunday. The police have already detained 224 people. She used water cannons and tear gas several times to disperse the demonstrators. On Monday, the police also briefly detained the leader of the opposition party Coalition for Changes, Zurab Dzaparidze.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Kobachidze accused the opposition of “coordinated violence”, the aim of which, according to him, is the overthrow of the constitutional order. On Monday, at a cabinet meeting, he thanked the Minister of the Interior and members of the security authorities for their work during the protests in Tbilisi and declared that “Maidan is taking place in Georgia will not act”.
