Demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgia were seen banging on the side gates of the Parliament building on Friday evening. Riot police were deployed to guard the building and a water cannon was seen parked nearby. On Thursday, the cops dispersed the protestors using pepper spray, tear gas and water cannons. Some demonstrators yelled “Russians” and “slaves” as they threw pyrotechnics at police.

Around 43 individuals were detained during the protests, according to the interior ministry.

The protests in the country come after the Georgia government announced it would put a halt to EU admission negotiations until 2028. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream Party had announced the suspension.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili joined the ongoing protests on Thursday and accused the ruling party of committing “war” on its citizens.

He said that the government had “declared not peace, but war against its own people, its past and future.”

What Led To The Suspension?

The Georgia government’s decision to halt the negotiations came hours after the European Parliament passed a resolution denouncing last month’s vote as neither free nor fair. According to European election monitors, the October poll was held in a divisive environment with incidents of physical violence, double voting, and bribery.

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Following the accusations, the Georgian prime minister retaliated, condemning the insults spewed by the EU politicians. In a statement, he said, “the ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union.”

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Kobakhidze added, “We will continue on our path toward the European Union; however we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our country and society.”