Georgia: Dozens arrested during pro-EU protests

Police in Georgia arrested dozens of protesters overnight and into Friday morning during a crackdown on unrest over the government's decision to postpone European Union accession talks, News.az reports citing foreign media.

The protests and heavy crackdown comes as more than 100 serving Georgian diplomats have signed an open letter criticizing the government's decision to halt its trajectory toward EU membership.

The diplomats said the decision to not pursue EU membership until 2028, announced by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Thursday, violated the country's constitutional commitment to joining the bloc.

The Black Sea nation has been in turmoil since the increasingly authoritarian ruling party declared victory in October's parliamentary elections that the pro-EU opposition claimed was falsified.

The opposition has accused Georgian Dream of gravitating toward Russia. Thousands of people have taken to the streets since Kobakhidze's announcement.

News.Az