Georgia’s prime minister claims protesters want to topple his government
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday accused the opposition of trying to topple his government and vowed a further crackdown on dissent, hours after the ruling party claimed a landslide win in local elections snubbed by its main rivals.
Tens of thousands marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on polling day against the government’s repressive policies, and what they see as Georgia’s steady drift into Moscow’s orbit.
Mr Kobakhidze’s Georgian Dream party claimed victory in every municipality across the South Caucasus country in local elections boycotted by the two main opposition blocs as a sham.
Protests and political unrest have rocked Georgia since Georgian Dream halted talks on joining the European Union last November, despite it being a cherished goal for many Georgians that has been enshrined in the country’s constitution.
The move triggered waves of protests that have been met with mass arrests and police violence.
It came after the long-time ruling party declared victory in a parliamentary election that the opposition said was rigged.
The rallies, big and small, have continued despite a multipronged crackdown by the government through laws that target demonstrators, rights groups, nongovernmental organisations and independent media.
Critics say some have been modelled on legislation passed in Russia, where President Vladimir Putin has harshly stifled criticism.
Riot police used water cannons and tear gas on Saturday to drive protesters out of the presidential palace, after they smashed the gates and attempted to enter the building.
The opposition had painted the latest march as part of a “peaceful revolution” to restore democratic values, but in a press briefing on Sunday, Mr Kobakhidze cast it as the culmination of months of attempts to overthrow his government.
Georgian officials have repeatedly sought to present the protests as co-ordinated and funded from abroad, often citing statements from European officials in support of the movement.
Mr Kobakhidze referenced this rhetoric on Sunday, as he pledged to “completely neutralise foreign agents”.
He also implied that EU officials and diplomats have meddled in Georgian politics by voicing support for the protests.
But he said Georgian Dream was ready for dialogue with Tbilisi’s Western partners.
“I am ready to forget everything, to reset relations, to start from a clean slate. We are ready for friendship and relations with everyone,” he said.
EU officials did not immediately comment on Mr Kobakhidze’s claims.
In July, the bloc’s diplomatic service slammed what it said was “disinformation and baseless accusations” by Georgian government officials about its alleged role in the country’s politics.
Five activists, including celebrated opera singer Paata Burchuladze, were detained following Saturday’s rally.
According to Georgia’s Interior Ministry, they were accused of calling for the violent overthrow of the government as well as “organising, leading and participating in group violence”.
The interior ministry also vowed to find all those who tried to force entry into the presidential palace.
Georgians went to the polls on Saturday to elect the mayors of five major cities, including Tbilisi, the heads of more than 50 other municipalities, and members of municipal councils.
Georgia’s two main opposition blocs and several other parties critical of Georgian Dream boycotted the vote.
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