Tallinn (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Estonia has put sanctions on top Georgian administrators, including its prime minister, over an illegal crackdown on pro-European protesters.
Georgia’s administrations have drawn widespread objection for their handling of demonstrators, who blame the ruling party for deteriorating democracy and striving to bring the ex-Soviet country back into the shade of ex-master Russia. Police have repositioned water cannons and tear gas to disperse protests while security agents have ransacked the offices of opposition parties and whipped dissenting lawmakers and reporters.
Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said,
“The violence perpetrated by the authorities against protesters, journalists and opposition leaders is criminal and against human rights.”
“I call on all EU countries to react and to take action,”
he stated.
The latest sanctions announcement comes a day after the ruling Georgian Dream party lodged a hard-right supporter ex-Manchester City striker as president. That election procedure was resisted by the pro-European opposition amid an increasing constitutional concern. Along with its fellow Baltic nations, Estonia had already barred many Georgian officials from putting foot on their territory.
The sanctioned persons are Georgia’s Interior Minister, Vakhtang Gomelauri, as well as Georgia’s richest guy, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Since Georgian Dream declared victory in October’s elections, which the opposition has denounced as falsified, tens of thousands have taken to the roads. Those demonstrations have become nightly after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s surprise decision in late November to delay the Black Sea nation’s discussions to join the European Union.
