Georgian PM Kobakhidze says there will be 'no revolution' as protests hit country

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Monday (Dec 2) that the violent protests triggered after he announced a halt to negotiations on the country's joining of the European Union, would not bring about a revolution.

"I remind everyone that there will be no revolution in Georgia," Kobakhidze said.

He further accused the opposition of arranging funds for the "Ukraine-style pro-EU uprising" from abroad, and went on to slam the Western countries for not denouncing the "organised violence" staged by the demonstrators the way they were denouncing the strong force deployed by the police in the Black Sea nation.

Demonstrators launch fireworks at police 

Earlier on Monday, protesters and police clashed in Georgia's capital as resistance to the government's decision to suspend the EU membership talks continues to intensify.

Tensions have been escalating in Georgia after the announcement on Thursday (Nov 28) that the government would stall the EU talks for four years.

Also read: Tens of thousands head back to streets in Georgia over pro-EU protests, prez says protesters 'standing firm'

The pro-EU demonstrators took to the streets and engaged in skirmishes with the police.

The protesters on Sunday night gathered in Tbilisi and launched fireworks at the police, who retaliated with volleys of water cannons.

This also comes after the governing Georgian Dream party claimed victory in the parliamentary elections held on October 26, which, according to the pro-European opposition, were fraudulent.

Georgia's opposition is boycotting the new parliament, citing concerns over the legitimacy of the elections.

Meanwhile, pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili asked the constitutional court to nullify the election results, declaring the newly formed government and the new legislature "illegitimate".

As per Eka Beselia, the lawyer representing Zurabishvili, the president wants the court to cancel the results "over widespread violations of voting universality and ballot secrecy".

Her office said in a statement that on Tuesday, she "filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court of Georgia, requesting the annulment of the election results as unconstitutional."

(With inputs from agencies)