Anti-Government Rallies Continue in Georgia, Protesters Block Traffic Along Central Street

Protesters in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi have blocked traffic along Rustaveli Avenue near the parliamentary building.

Around 1,000 people gathered in front of the parliamentary building, the venue of everyday protests since November 28, The Caspian Post reports, citing TASS.

In recent days, people usually gather in the square at the parliamentary building at about nine in the evening.

The Georgian State Security Service said earlier in the day that organizers anti-government rallies in Tbilisi are trying to disrupt the Georgian presidential election scheduled for December 14, thereby throwing the political system into chaos. It also said that they "are planning to escalate things to the max on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and maybe Friday, killing two or three people in the process."

The current wave of protests was sparked by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze"s statement on November 28 when he said that the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party had decided to postpone any talk about launching accession negotiations until late 2028 and decline any funding from the European Union. According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country"s parliament.

Presidential election in Georgia is scheduled for December 14. For the first time, the president will be elected by the electoral college. The only candidate is Mikhail Kavelashvili, a former lawmaker and football player who was nominated by the ruling party. The inauguration ceremony will be held on December 29.