Swedish Birna in Tiblisi: “People are afraid, but it breeds fighting spirit”

The protesters express growing frustration with the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which they say are authoritarian, anti-Western and pro-Russian.

Swedish Birna Forsström is an exchange student at Ilia State University where she studies history and politics.

– Today is the day you feel the most frustration so far, the police are using a lot of violence against the demonstrators, she says.

The government freezes EU rapprochement

The protests were sparked by the government’s decision to freeze EU talks for four years, a decision that was met with strong criticism from the opposition and pro-EU protesters. Since then, the country has been rocked by demonstrations where riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

The demonstrators demand fair elections and a government that respects democratic values ​​and the country’s quest for EU membership.

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