Andorra la VellaAs Andorra moves forward in its own process of finalizing its association agreement with the European Union (EU), recent events in Georgia offer a reminder of the political and social challenges that can arise in relation to European integration. In Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, at least 43 protesters have been arrested and 32 police officers injured during riots after the country’s government announced a freeze on EU accession negotiations until 2028.
The clashes erupted when thousands of pro-European citizens gathered on Rustaveli Avenue to protest Prime Minister Irakli Kobajidze’s decision to suspend negotiations. Demonstrators, who see the move as a step back towards an authoritarian and pro-Russian orientation, blocked traffic in front of Parliament and other government buildings, waving Georgian and EU flags.
The Georgian government, for its part, has justified the freeze as a strategy to prioritize other internal reforms. This decision comes after legislative elections denounced by the opposition as irregular, which has intensified political tension in the country.