Georgian PM offers dialogue with public amid growing EU membership debate

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has proposed a discussion for all interested citizens of the country to address the challenges facing the nation, including the issue of liberal fascism.

Kobakhidze announced his readiness for dialogue with the public shortly after protests began on November 28 against the government's decision to postpone talks on Georgia's EU membership until 2028. Although the authorities have repeatedly explained that this does not mean a halt to the country's European integration, the wave of protests continues unabated, Caliber.Az reports per Georgian media.

"Victory over liberal fascism is possible only through open discussion and listening to each other. I want to invite all sincere people, those with questions or personal opinions on specific issues, to engage in a public or private dialogue, in any format," he said.

Protests are being held regularly across various cities in the country, but in Tbilisi, they have taken on a systematic and large-scale nature. In the early days, riots broke out in front of the parliament, resulting in dozens of injuries among security forces, protesters, and journalists. The opposition, the president, and their Western allies have accused the government of initiating repression, while the authorities counter that the unrest is a coordinated attempt by agent opposition to create a Maidan-like scenario with the support of foreign backers. 

On December 4, the protests became calmer. Prior to that, every night, small groups of demonstrators, mostly wearing masks, had been damaging infrastructure outside the Georgian parliament, throwing stones, Molotov cocktails, and firing fireworks at security forces, while the police responded with water cannons and tear gas. From November 28 to December 8, more than 30 individuals were held accountable for committing criminal offenses, and over 370 people were detained on administrative charges.

By Naila Huseynova