EU condemns ‘intimidation, threats and physical assaults’ by authorities in Georgia – Europe live

Two American citizens and one Russian were among 20 people detained at protests in Tbilisi, the interior ministry said today, Reuters reported.

Georgia police accused of beating protesters against ‘foreign influence’ bill

Daniel Boffey

Riot police armed with water cannon and teargas have been accused of beating protesters who picketed outside Georgia’s parliament to try to stop a final vote on a controversial “foreign influence” law.

The fresh scenes of violence on Monday morning came as hundreds of masked officers charged down demonstrators who had been attempting to block off access to the parliament in the capital, Tbilisi.

Dimitri Chikovani, who was severely beaten by five men near his apartment building entrance in Tbilisi’s Sololaki district last Wednesday evening, said he had also received threatening phone calls.

Speaking to the Guardian after his release from hospital, Chikovani, who suffered fractured cheek bones and a broken nose, said he believed the government was behind the attacks.

He said: “The point is to make people fear them. But if I may add, it’s pointless and useless. Because people of Georgia, they have spoken, they have decided that the European way, the western civilisation, is the way of Georgia. Georgian Dream won’t stop it. We will protest until Georgian Dream stands back and stops the law.”

Read the full story here.

Speaking at a press briefing, a spokesperson for the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell reiterated concern about the situation in Georgia, where pro-western protesters have continued to face a violent crackdown.

“We strongly condemn acts of intimidation, threats and physical assaults against the protesters, against civil society activists, against politicians and against journalists and media workers,” the spokesperson said, pointing to “brutal actions” overnight.

“We call on the authorities to ensure the right to protest,” he said. “We call on the authorities to investigate properly… and we expect that those responsible for it will be brought to justice.”

The European Union and the member states are watching the situation “closely,” he said.

But he also said that “we are not there yet” on sanctions.

“Georgia, after all, is a candidate country – and we again, we hope, we expect and we call on authorities to go back to the European path.”

Here’s a bit more detail here on why Puigdemont says a repeat election wouldn’t be in the region’s interest and why he’s keen to try to form a government.

It is worth bearing in mind that by the time a repeat election is held, he may be back in Spain and free to campaign thanks to the amnesty.

But a repeat election is not guarantee of shoring up support for the independence movement, which had a very bad night last night.

“The main thing is to ensure Catalonia has a government that can work and that can stand up to Madrid,” Puigdemont said.

He added:

The second thing it to avoid a repeat election. A repeat elections would help us overcome many of the difficulties we’ve had to deal with; we’ve been the only ones who haven’t been able to take part in the debates or head out to the streets. But despite all that, [a repeat election] would be very bad news for Catalonia, for stability and for the people of Catalonia.

Puigdemont, speaking at a press conference just now, has said he’s not engaging in theatrics and is serious about returning to the presidency.

Puigdemont has said the time has come to “rebuild bridges” within the independence movement, an apparent nod to the bad blood between Junts and the ERC.

He’s also said that a repeat election – which remains a distinct possibility if no one can put together a new regional government – “wouldn’t be best for the Catalan people”.

Carles Puigdemont said he intends to try to form a government composed of pro-independence parties.

“We can put together a coherent majority – not an absolute one – but it would be bigger than Illa’s. The socialist candidate’s options must necessarily involve the PP.”

Spanish government sources said this morning that “Salvador Illa’s triumph means the end of the independence process – thanks to the policy of harmony, dialogue and coexistence undertaken by the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez.”

“Catalans have backed that with their votes. In this election, Catalonia has decided to open a new stage,” they added.