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TBILISI, Georgia — Thousands of demonstrators are protesting against the Georgian government’s decision to do so to suspend negotiations on accession to the European Union gathered outside parliament and clashed with police for the second night in a row on Friday.

The night before, police used water cannons, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse protesters who took to the streets in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party announced the suspension. The Interior Ministry said it detained 43 people during the protests.

Protesters swarmed parliament again on Friday evening, with some attempting to break down the building’s metal fences. Riot police used water cannons to push them away from the building and later withdrew them further along Rustaveli Avenue, the city’s main boulevard.

Some protesters used trash cans and benches to set up barricades.

Clashes between police and demonstrators also broke out late Friday in the Black Sea port city of Batumi.

The controversial victory of Georgian Dream in the October 26 elections was generally seen as a referendum about the country’s ambitions to become a member of the European Union led to massive demonstrations and led to it a boycott of parliament by the opposition. The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia, which wanted to keep Georgia in its orbit.

President Salome Zourabichvili joined the protesters on Thursday after accusing the government of declaring “war” on its own people. In his address to the nation on Friday, Zourabichvili urged police not to use force against protesters.

Georgia’s president, who serves in a largely ceremonial role, has said the ruling party rigged the election with the help of Russia, Georgia’s former imperial master.

The government’s announcement that it is suspending EU accession negotiations came hours after the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning last month’s vote as neither free nor fair. fully responsible.”

European election observers said the vote took place in October There was division, marked by cases of briberydouble voting and physical violence.

The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on the condition that the country complies with the bloc’s recommendations, but earlier this year put accession on hold and cut financial support after the adoption of a law on ‘ foreign influence’ which is widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms.

EU lawmakers pushed for a repeat of the parliamentary vote within a year, under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration. They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government.

The Georgian Prime Minister fired back, denouncing what he described as a “cascade of insults” from EU politicians and stating that “the evildoers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great shame for the European Union.”

“We will continue on our path to the European Union; However, we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is completely disrespectful to our country and society,” Kobakhidze said. “We must clearly show certain European politicians and bureaucrats, who are completely devoid of European values, that they must speak to Georgia with dignity, and not through blackmail and insults.”

Kobakhidze also said that Georgia would reject all EU budget subsidies until the end of 2028.

Critics have accused Georgian Dream – founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia – of becoming increasingly authoritarian and focused on Moscow. The party recently passed laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of expression LGBTQ+ rights.

The EU subsequently indefinitely suspended Georgia’s membership application process the following June Parliament has passed a law requiring organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power,” similar to a Russian law used to discredit organizations critical of the government to bring.