Thousands congregated throughout Georgia on Thursday for a second week of pro-EU demonstrations, after the prime minister vowed to "eliminate" the nation's "liberal-fascist" opposition. Tbilisi has experienced significant unrest since the ruling Georgian Dream party, which detractors accuse of encroaching authoritarianism and steering the nation back toward Russia, declared victory in a contentious election in October. FRANCE 24's Florent Marchais reports.
Thousands of citizens gathered across Georgia on Thursday for a second week of pro-EU protests, following the prime minister's threat to "eliminate" the nation's "liberal-fascist" opposition.
Tbilisi has been engulfed in turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party, which critics allege exhibits creeping authoritarian tendencies and is pushing the country back toward Russia, asserted victory in a disputed election in October.
The government announced last Thursday that it would halt EU membership negotiations until 2028, provoking a new wave of demonstrations that have been met with a forceful response from authorities.
As demonstrators took to the streets for the eighth consecutive night, no clear resolution to the crisis emerged, with the government intensifying its conflict with the opposition and protests reported in numerous cities.
In the capital, Tbilisi, participation was lower than in previous days; however, while some feared the movement might be losing momentum, most attendees were optimistic.
"This administration must change as they simply do not care about us, about future generations," stated Mano, a 23-year-old who preferred to remain anonymous and was among the thousands who gathered outside parliament.
As on earlier nights, some protestors struck the metal barriers obstructing the parliament's entrance, waved EU flags, and vocally used horns and whistles.
Some held placards that read "your oppression will lead to your downfall" as a green laser beam projected a hand in a v-for-victory gesture on the building facade, as observed by an AFP reporter.
Ucha, a 42-year-old physician who also provided only his first name, remarked that it was typical for attendance to decreasenoting that he had not seen his children in a week, having come to protest every day after work.