Georgia’s ruling party said on Thursday that the country would suspend talks on European Union accession until 2028, while also refusing budgetary grants from Brussels, effectively halting its application to join the bloc, a long-standing national goal, Reuters reports.
In response, thousands of pro-EU protesters blocked streets in the capital, while the country’s figurehead president accused the government of declaring “war” on its own people with the move.
The Georgian Dream governing bloc accused the EU of “a cascade of insults”, saying in a statement it was using the prospect of accession talks to “blackmail” the country, and to “organise a revolution in the country”.
As a result, it said: “We have decided not to put the issue of opening negotiations with the European Union on the agenda until the end of 2028. Also, we refuse any budgetary grant from the European Union until the end of 2028.”
