Georgia has suspended its bid to join the European Union, prompting thousands of protesters to take to the streets, where they clashed with police in the capital of Tbilisi.

Pawel Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday condemned the “use of violence against peaceful protesters” in Tbilisi during a rally sparked by the Government’s move on Thursday to halt the accession talks with the bloc until 2028.

Protesters claim that the refusal to negotiate accession to the EU by 2028 is "a betrayal of the country's interests."

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the move was in response to 'blackmail and manipulation' from the bloc's politicians.

The European Union's ambassador to Georgia said on Friday that Tbilisi's move to effectively halt its EU accession bid until 2028 was "heartbreaking" and he also condemned police violence against protesters at a pro-EU demonstration on Thursday.

Police and protesters have clashed in Georgia after the country’s ruling party suspended negotiations to join the European Union until 2028

Demonstrators took to the streets on Thursday to protest a decision by the Georgian government earlier in the day to suspend accession talks with the European Union until the end of 2028. In Tbilisi,

Professor Grigol Julukhidze said in an interview with us that this is just the beginning of a very adverse path for Georgia in terms of relations with Brussels and the European Union. On Thursday, the Georgian Prime Minister announced that the government is suspending talks about the country’s EU membership until 2028.