Georgia

Anti-Russian sentiment hit the Georgian capital of Tbilisi hard, with Georgians infuriated over a parliamentary speech given by a Russian lawmaker. Relations are frosty between the two nations, having fought a war in 2008 after Russia invaded parts of Georgia. Diplomatic relations between the countries have not been reestablished since the war, and Russia maintains a military presence in the wantaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Citizens of Georgia were incensed when Russian politician Sergei Gavrilov was allowed to deliver a speech to Christian Orthodox delegates in Russian from the Speaker’s chair in Georgia’s Parliament. 10,000 people demonstrated outside of the legislature, showing their vehement opposition to any influence from Moscow in the country. The protestors demanded the resignation of Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze, who accepted their plea and resigned his seat. The protests were supported by the Georgian opposition, who blocked the presidium and also called for the resignations of the interior minister and state security chief over the incident. The opposition was enraged when Parliament instead approved a new government led by former interior minister Giorgi Gakharia. For his part, Sergei Gavrilov dismissed the protests as being inflamed by “fake news,” before quickly returning to Russia.