PM Kobakhidze claims ongoing protests are not peaceful

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze declared during a press conference on Sunday that the recent protests in Georgia cannot be classified as peaceful demonstrations. He emphasized that even international organizations, which previously described the protests as peaceful, have refrained from using such terminology in their latest statements.

“These gatherings are not peaceful, and today no one refers to them as such anymore,” Kobakhidze stated. According to him, the participants of the protests have initiated acts of violence each day over the past three days.

“Every day, we’ve seen systematic and severe violence initiated by the demonstrators. The police have refrained from intervening until these violent groups escalate to overt, organized violence. Yesterday, for example, we witnessed the use of pyrotechnics and other dangerous objects against law enforcement. Protesters also threw stones and attempted to breach the gates of parliament,” Kobakhidze said.

The Prime Minister highlighted several key points during his statement, including the accusations that the violence is premeditated, with materials prepared in advance to escalate confrontations.

He argued that Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs operates at a higher standard than many European and American counterparts, preventing serious incidents even during violent unrest.

While acknowledging certain excessive uses of force by police, Kobakhidze asserted that these were isolated incidents rather than systemic actions, contrasting the current situation with what he described as police violence under previous administrations.
He also stressed the importance of thorough investigations into all incidents of violence, whether perpetrated by protesters or law enforcement. “Every violation of the law must be investigated, regardless of who is responsible. This is our duty, and we will act in line with this responsibility,” Kobakhidze concluded.

The comments come amidst ongoing tensions in Tbilisi, where protesters have clashed with police over government policies perceived as undermining democratic principles and Georgia’s European aspirations.