Georgia has postponed its bid to join the EU after the European Parliament voted to reject the results of the country’s recent election.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the organization of “disrespect” and said that his government will suspend its membership “until the end of 2028”.
This came hours after European Parliamentarians called for last month’s parliamentary elections in Georgia to be rerun, citing “gross irregularities”.
Kobakhidze’s announcement sparked protests in cities across Georgia, with thousands gathering outside the parliament building in the capital Tbilisi, blocking cars and waving EU flags.
Since 2012, Georgia has been ruled by the Georgian Dream party, which critics accuse of trying to move the country away from the EU and closer to Russia.
The party claims to have won last month’s election, but opposition MPs are boycotting the new parliament, alleging fraud, while the country’s President, Salome Zurabishvili, has called the vote “unconstitutional”.
On Thursday, the European Parliament supported the decision describing the election as the latest stage in “a worsening democratic crisis” and saying the ruling party is “fully responsible”.
It expressed particular concern about reports of vote-buying and fraud, intimidation of voters and harassment of observers.
After this decision, Kobakhidze said that his government “decided not to include the issue of joining the European Union in the plan until the end of 2028”.
Georgia has an official position for EU elections from 2023, although Brussels had already suspended the accession process earlier this year. over Russian-style law targeting organizations accused of “pursuing foreign interests”.
Kobakhidze said that Georgia will continue to implement the reforms necessary for accession and that it still plans to join in 2030, but added that “it is important that the EU respects our national interests and traditional values”.
Clashes between protesters and riot police continued overnight in Tbilisi on Thursday.
Protesters set up roadblocks, while police used pepper spray and water cannons on the crowds.
“Georgian Dream did not win the election. It staged a coup,” said 20-year-old Shota Sabashvili.
“There is no parliament or legitimate government in Georgia. We will not allow this so-called prime minister to destroy our future in Europe.”
Ana, a student, said the Georgian Dream “is against the will of the Georgian people and wants to return us to the USSR”
“That will not happen because the people of Georgia will never allow this to happen,” he told the Associated Press.
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