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The nation's prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, has announced a comprehensive crackdown on political opposition, alleging demonstrators who tried to breach the presidential palace of aiming to overthrow his government and pointing the finger at the European Union for meddling in the country's internal matters.

Kobakhidze leveled these accusations just a day following protesters attempted to breach the presidential palace during municipal polls. Riot police stopped them by using irritant spray and water cannon.

"Not a single person will escape accountability. This encompasses political accountability," the prime minister was quoted as saying.

Law enforcement detained at least five demonstrators, among them two members of the United National Movement and the vocal artist turned campaigner Paata Burchuladze.

Local media cited the ministry of health as stating that twenty-one police officers and six protesters had been hurt in confrontations in central Tbilisi.

Context of the Political Unrest

The nation of Georgia has been in upheaval since Kobakhidze's ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in the previous year's parliamentary election, which the pro-EU opposition asserts was stolen. From that point, Tbilisi's talks on entering the bloc have been halted.

The premier said that up to seven thousand people participated in Saturday's opposition rally but their "effort to topple the constitutional order" had been thwarted despite what he called EU backing.

"A number of people have been detained – primarily the organisers of the attempted coup," he told the press, stating that the primary opposition group "will no longer be allowed from operating in the nation's political scene."

Protest Movement Appeals and Government Response

Protest leaders had urged a "peaceful revolution" against GD, which they accuse of being pro-Russian and authoritarian. The party has been in power since 2012.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the center of the capital, waving national and European flags, after an extended period of targeted operations on independent media, restrictions on civil society and the detention of dozens of opponents and campaigners.

The prime minister accused the EU's ambassador to the country, Paweł Herczyński, of interference. "You know that certain individuals from abroad have publicly stated explicit backing for these actions, for the announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order," he said, noting that the ambassador "bears special responsibility in this situation."

"The ambassador should speak out, dissociate himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi," stated Kobakhidze.

European Union Response and Ongoing Political Strain

In the summer, the EU's diplomatic service dismissed what it termed "disinformation and unfounded claims" about the EU's alleged role in Georgia.

The pro-European factions have been organizing demonstrations since the previous autumn, when Georgian Dream secured victory in a national vote that its opponents claim was marred by fraud. The party has denied accusations of electoral manipulation.

Georgia has the objective of EU accession enshrined in its founding document and has long been among the most Europe-oriented of the Soviet Union's successor states. Its relations with the Western nations have been strained since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Georgian Dream is controlled by its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the wealthiest individual and a ex-leader, and denies it is aligned with Russia. It states it aims to join the EU while preserving stability with Russia.