Sun Oct 05 11:30:32 UTC 2025: ## Georgian PM Accuses EU Ambassador of Fueling Tbilisi Protests, Claims Coup Attempt
**Tbilisi, Georgia** – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused the European Union of meddling in Georgian politics and specifically targeted EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski, demanding he condemn recent protests in Tbilisi. Kobakhidze claims the demonstrations, which saw clashes between protesters and riot police near the presidential palace, were an attempt to overthrow the government.
Speaking on Sunday, Kobakhidze alleged protesters were trying to “overthrow the constitutional order” and insisted Herczynski bears “special responsibility” for the unrest due to his alleged support for the rally. He called on the ambassador to “distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi,” according to Interpress.
The protests occurred on Saturday, coinciding with local elections that saw the ruling Georgian Dream party win significant victories. Riot police used pepper spray and water cannon to disperse demonstrators, resulting in injuries to both protesters and security personnel. The Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs reported 21 security personnel and six protesters were injured. Five activists were also detained.
Kobakhidze stated that nearly 7,000 people participated in the protests, framing the events as a failed coup attempt. “They moved to action, began the overthrow attempt. It failed, and then they started distancing themselves from it,” he said. “No one will escape responsibility. This includes political responsibility.”
The protests were fueled by opposition groups who boycotted the election, alleging widespread rigging and calling for a “peaceful revolution” against Georgian Dream. They claim the party is too close to Russia, a charge Georgian Dream officials vehemently deny. The party secured victories in all municipalities, claiming 80 percent of the vote, with incumbent Kakha Kaladze retaining the mayorship of Tbilisi.
This political turmoil follows a period of heightened tensions in Georgia, stemming from the October 2023 parliamentary elections which the opposition claimed were rigged. The country’s pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, echoed these concerns, labeling the elections a “total rigging” and a “Russian special operation.”
The Georgian Dream party was founded by billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili, who was sanctioned by the United States in late 2024 for allegedly undermining Georgia’s “democratic and Euro-Atlantic future for the benefit of the Russian Federation.”
Despite these tensions, Kobakhidze maintains that Georgia’s path to joining the EU remains “steady and irreversible,” emphasizing the country’s commitment to reform and European integration in a recent opinion piece for Euronews.
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