Clashes between protesters, police break out in Georgian capital

Clashes between protesters and police have broken out near the parliament building in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, a TASS correspondent reports, Report informs.

Police officers are using tear gas, trying to push protesters back. No detentions have been reported yet.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has joined the demonstrators. She called on the country’s government to hold a new parliamentary election.

The protests were sparked by the ruling party’s decision to suspend consultations with the European Union on the launch of talks on Tbilisi’s accession until 2028 and decline any funding from the EU. According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country’s parliament.