Georgia arrests 48 pro-EU protesters

Thousands of protesters marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi Saturday for the 10th day of rallies sparked by the government’s decision to shelve European Union (EU) accession talks following a disputed election.

Georgian police said they arrested 48 people during a crackdown on pro-EU protesters the day before.

Security forces fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the thousands of people who had gathered outside parliament in Tbilisi on Friday evening to demand fresh elections and a return to European integration.

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland on Saturday strongly condemned “the disproportionate use of force” against peaceful protesters and the targeting of the opposition and media representatives in Georgia.

The Caucasus nation has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared that it won a disputed October 26 election.

The government, which critics accuse of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia, last week said it would suspend talks to join the EU, sparking a fresh wave of demonstrations.

Blowing horns and whistles, pro-European protesters marched from Tbilisi State University towards parliament for a new night of demos, blocking one of the city’s main traffic arteries, an AFP reporter witnessed.

“They are trying to arrest us, punish us, but we won’t back down, we are not afraid,” said 19-year-old protester Giorgi Romanadze.

“This is our last chance to be free, to be happy. We want Europe, and Europe only.”

Natia Trapaidze, a 55-year-old designer, said she was not typically politically active, but the authorities had “forced” her to take to the streets.

“I don’t feel protected, I have no rights in this country,” she said, adding that she feared for the future of her two daughters.

Authorities’ heavy-handed response has triggered outrage at home and mounting international condemnation.

Agencies