Georgia: Clashes outside parliament on third protest night

Georgians protesting the government's decision to delay European Union membership talks clashed with security forces outside parliament in the capital, Tbilisi, on Saturday evening. More protests are planned for Sunday in the capital as well as in other towns and cities across Georgia. 

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tbilisi for the third night in a row. on Saturday The protests, which have seen over a hundred arrested, have been the biggest since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October's contested parliamentary elections.

Protesters met with tear gas, rubber bullets

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and used water cannons in an effort to disperse the rallies. Protesters outside parliament used fireworks, with flames reportedly seen coming out of a parliament building window.

Georgia's Interior Ministry said Sunday that 27 protesters, 16 police and one media worker were hospitalized.

Some of the protesters set up barricades on Tbilisi's main avenue. Others on the steps of parliament burned an effigy of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Dream party's founder and Georgia's richest man.

"I am afraid — I won't hide it — that many people will get injured, but I am not afraid to stand here," 39-year-old Tamar Gelashvili told the AFP news agency near the parliament building earlier in the day.

The Interior Ministry said that "the actions of some individuals present at the protest became violent shortly after the demonstration began."

"Police will respond appropriately and in accordance with the law to every violation," it said.

Protests also took place in various other cities across Georgia.

Prime minister says protesters working under 'foreign' orders 

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday praised police for cracking down on the protesters, describing them as "violent groups" acting on behalf of "foreign instructors" to undermine the state. 

He dismissed criticism from the US which condemned the use of "excessive force" against demonstrators.

EU foreign policy chief warns against violence 

The EU's new foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, warned Georgian authorities on Sunday over violence against demonstrators. 

"It is clear that using violence against peaceful protesters is not acceptable, and the Georgian government should respect the will of the Georgian people," Kallas told journalists.  

"When it comes to European Union, then this clearly has consequences on our relationship with Georgia," she added. She said "options" had been presented to EU member states on how to respond, including potentially imposing sanctions.

"Of course, we need to come to agreement," she said. 

Earlier on Saturday, Kobakhidze had accused the pro-EU opposition of plotting a revolution, while the State Security Service said political parties were trying to "overthrow the government by force."

EU membership is a highly popular goal in the former Soviet republic. Tbilisi is flooded with EU flags, often placed by residents at their own windows.

"The people of Georgia are trying to protect their constitution, trying to protect their country and the state, and they are trying to tell our government that rule of law means everything," protester Tina Kupreishvili told Reuters news agency outside parliament.

rmt/wd (dpa, AFP, Reuters)