Georgia suspends talks on joining the EU for four years

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, left, Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of the Georgian Dream party which he initiated, and Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was nominated by the party as a candidate for the presidential election, speak to the media in Tbilisi (Georgian Dream/AP)

Georgia is suspending talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years, its prime minister has said, in view of what he described as “blackmail and manipulation” from some of the bloc’s politicians.

The statement by Irakli Kobakhize on Thursday came hours after he was reappointed to the job by members of the governing Georgian Dream party after its disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election, which sparked protests and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.