Thousands of protesters marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi Saturday for the 10th day of rallies sparked by a disputed election and the government's decision to shelve EU accession talks.

Demanding fresh elections and a return to European integration, the demonstrators headed towards the Black Sea country's parliament, undeterred by a crackdown on pro-EU protesters the day before.

Security forces fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the thousands of people who had likewise gathered outside parliament in Tbilisi on Friday evening, while Georgian police said they had made 48 arrests.

The Caucasus nation has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared victory in a disputed October 26 election.

The government, which critics accuse of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia, last week said it would suspend talks to join the European Union, sparking a fresh wave of demonstrations.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky -- whose country has been fighting a Russian invasion for almost three years -- said on Saturday he fully backed Georgia's anti-government protesters.

Zelensky, who has warned of Russian influence in Georgia for months, urged Tbilisi to stop........

© International Business Times