Polish president calls on Georgian authorities to hold new elections

Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged Georgia's ruling "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia" party to show willingness to hold new elections amid the ongoing mass protests in the country.

He made this statement during a conversation with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

During the conversation, Duda urged the Georgian government to show restraint and wisdom, listen to the voices of its citizens, and refrain from making decisions that contradict their will.

He noted that it is essential to demonstrate transparency in addressing all the doubts regarding the recent parliamentary elections. The ruling party should show its readiness for a new vote that will be free from doubts and suspicions. 

"The decision of the Tbilisi government to fully suspend accession negotiations, which de facto means freezing relations with the EU, is a painful blow to these aspirations and causes significant damage to both Georgia and the EU," the statement says.  

Protests have been taking place in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities since November 28, following the government's announcement to suspend negotiations on the country's EU membership until 2028. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that this decision was prompted by unacceptable actions from European politicians, who, as he stated, use grants and loans as tools of coercion.

He also criticised the European Parliament for "years of insults" directed at Georgia. The decision to suspend negotiations with the EU sparked strong discontent among pro-Western opposition leaders, who labeled the government's actions as a betrayal of national interests. President Zourabichvili, known for her support of European integration, condemned the government's actions. 

She stated that it had declared war on its own people, their past, and their future. On November 28, she joined the protesters outside the parliament building, and on November 30, she vowed not to resign despite her mandate expiring, stating that the parliament was illegitimate.

By Naila Huseynova