Protesters in Tbilisi Tossing Stones at Riot Police

The police are using pepper spays against the demonstrators

© Mikhail Yegikov/TASS

TBILISI, December 1. /TASS/. Protesters in downtown Tbilisi are tossing stones at riot police guarding the parliamentary building, a TASS correspondent reported from the site.

The police are using pepper spays against the demonstrators.

Another anti-government rally is being held near the parliamentary building in Tbilisi. Several thousand people have blocked traffic along Rustaveli Avenue in front of the building. They are demanding the government resignation and rerun parliamentary elections. According to the TASS correspondent, the rally is being attended by less people than in previous days.

Another wave of protests was sparked by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's statement on November 28 when he said that the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party had decided to postpone any talk about launching accession negotiations until late 2028 and decline any funding from the European Union. According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country’s parliament.