Thousands of Georgian protesters clashed with police for the fourth consecutive night on Sunday, opposing their government’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.
Protests erupted in at least eight cities across Georgia, with demonstrators blocking roads and disrupting access to the Black Sea port of Poti, international media reported.
Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said Monday that 21 police officers were injured during efforts to disperse the crowds. Authorities have arrested 224 protesters so far.
The unrest follows Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement on Thursday to halt the country’s EU accession bid. Kobakhidze, a member of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party, declared the decision after the controversial October 26 election in which his party claimed victory.
President Salome Zurabishvili, who has criticized the Georgian Dream government as “illegitimate,” joined the protesters, calling for new elections.
Zurabishvili denounced both the election results and the government’s EU decision, labeling them as contrary to the interests of the Georgian people. She vowed to remain in office, declaring at a gathering of opposition leaders on Sunday: “We have a single demand grounded in the constitution. There is no alternative to holding fresh elections to bring about stability.”