The French Foreign Ministry on Friday called on the Georgian government to respect the right to protest as police repressed pro-European protesters as political tensions in the country escalated.
"We are concerned by the reports of repression of protesters and journalists, and call for the respect of the right to peaceful protest," the ministry said in a statement, emphasizing that "Georgian people's European aspirations ... must not be betrayed."
Mass protests erupted in Georgia's capital city of Tbilisi on Thursday after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and his government decided to suspend EU accession talks until 2028. Meanwhile, Georgian pro-European President Salome Zourabichvili voiced her support for protesters and urged police not to use force against them.
