Original article (in Montenegrin) was published on 04/12/2024; Author: Marko Vukajlovic
Protests continue in Georgia, with more than 300 people detained (archived: here). Media reports on the number of people seeking medical assistance vary, but the figure is around 30.
Thousands of people are on the streets, due to the government’s decision (archived: here) to suspend negotiations on accession to the European Union, and clashes with the police are frequent. Georgia also recently held elections that the European Parliament deemed (archived: here) to have been marred by significant irregularities and should be repeated within a year. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has dismissed this possibility.
Given that many eyes are focused on the events in the Caucasus, disinformation is also arriving. One of them on the Intermagazin portal is voiced by: (archived: here)
UNBELIEVABLE! KAJA KALLAS AND MARTA KOS DEMAND THAT THE UNREST IN GEORGIA CONTINUE
Similarly, RT Balkan writes: (archived: here)
Kaja Kallas and Marta Koss tell Georgian authorities: Stopping unrest will jeopardize relations with the EU
Both Intermagazine and RT Balkans have misinterpreted a joint statement (archived: here) by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. It states that the European Union regrets the statement by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze about the decision of the Georgian Dream party not to proceed with the opening of EU accession negotiations and to refuse EU financial support until 2028. It actually states the following, regarding the protests or unrest (archived: here)
“The Georgian people have once again taken to the streets to reaffirm their aspirations for joining the European Union. The EU strongly condemns the violence against peaceful protesters, who are standing firm for their European and democratic future. These actions by the Georgian government have direct consequences on our relationship.
Georgian authorities must respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression and refrain from using force against peaceful protesters, politicians and media representatives. All acts of violence must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.”
Therefore, the two high-ranking EU representatives did not call for continued unrest, but condemned the violence against the demonstrators.
The protests in Georgia are a direct consequence (archived: here) of the freezing of EU accession by the government, namely the ruling Georgian Dream party, but also of the results of the elections held in October, in which the Georgian Dream won about 54 percent of the vote. All of this was preceded by the adoption of the Law on Foreign Agents earlier this year, when protests also broke out (archived: here). A similar law was discussed (archived: here) in Montenegro. Everything “smelled” and “smells” (archived: here) that Georgia is moving away from the EU and Western values and is placing itself under the patronage of Russia, although Moscow has said not to interfere in Georgian politics.
Surveys show (archived: here) that around 80 percent of Georgians are in favor of joining the EU, and EU accession is even enshrined in the Georgian constitution. Georgia applied for membership in 2022, and was granted candidate status in December 2023.
The controversial posts are rated as manipulation of facts.
The “Manipulation of Facts” rating is given to a media report that uses known and accurate facts but interprets them in a deceptive manner. These reports generally employ accurate information to draw incorrect conclusions or claims, leading media consumers to draw conclusions that differ from the actual meaning of the presented facts.