Georgia has delayed its bid to join the European Union after the European Parliament rejected the results of the country’s recent election.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the EU of “blackmail” and announced that his government would suspend its pursuit of membership until the end of 2028.
This decision followed a European Parliament resolution calling for a re-run of last month’s parliamentary elections, citing “significant irregularities.”
Kobakhidze’s statement ignited protests across Georgia, with thousands of demonstrators gathering in cities, including outside the parliament in Tbilisi, waving EU flags and blocking traffic.
Since 2012, Georgia has been ruled by the Georgian Dream party, which critics accuse of steering the country closer to Russia and away from the EU.
The party claimed victory in the disputed election, but opposition members are boycotting parliament, alleging widespread fraud. President Salome Zurabishvili has also labeled the vote “unconstitutional.”
The European Parliament’s resolution condemned the election as part of Georgia’s “worsening democratic crisis,” holding the ruling party “fully responsible.”
Concerns included allegations of vote-buying, manipulation, voter intimidation, and harassment of observers.
Following the resolution, Kobakhidze announced that the government would “not raise the issue of EU membership” until the end of 2028.
Georgia has held EU candidate status since 2023, but its accession process had already stalled earlier this year due to a controversial law targeting organizations accused of “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.”
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that Georgia would continue implementing the necessary reforms for EU accession and still aimed to join by 2030. However, he emphasized the importance of the EU respecting Georgia’s national interests and traditional values.
Former Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili described the situation as an “unprecedented” turning point for the country in an interview with the BBC.
“Since we were independent 30 years ago, we were clearly pro-western, we were clearly pro-Nato and clearly pro-EU and this was uniting any government that was in place.
“But in this case, we see that there is a co-ordinated, I would say operation, which is co-ordinated by the bunch of people who are controlling power in Tbilisi and the Kremlin to basically bring Georgia as fast as this is possible to Russian orbit.”
A tense stand-off between protesters and riot police continued through the night in Tbilisi on Thursday.
Demonstrators set up barricades in the streets, while police used pepper spray and water cannon on the crowds.
“Georgian Dream didn’t win the elections. It staged a coup,” said 20-year-old Shota Sabashvili.
“There is no legitimate parliament or government in Georgia. We will not let this self-proclaimed prime minister destroy our European future.”
Ana, a student, said Georgian Dream was “going against Georgian people’s will and want to drag us back to USSR”
“That will never happen because Georgian people will never let this happen,” she told the Associated Press.