Tonight marked the ninth successive evening of protests in Georgia, after the country's governing party announced they would be suspending accession talks with the European Union until 2028.

Riot police were deployed around Georgia's parliament last night and officers used tear gas and a water cannon against protesters again.

Riot police have been widely criticised for violence since the protests began, targeting protesters as well as reporters.

Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania announced on December 1, that the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania “jointly agreed to impose national sanctions against those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia.”

When asked about Germany's position on possible sanctions, a spokesperson of the Federal Foreign Office told the Accent that "any further measures may be necessary."

"We are following the current developments in Georgia with great concern. We strongly condemn the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters and raids against offices of opposition parties and civil society organisations, arrests of opposition politicians and targeting of media representatives. These actions are unacceptable and contradict the standards and values of the EU. Fundamental rights, including freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, must be upheld and protected as per Georgia’s constitution and international commitments.

The latest developments and the aggressive rhetoric of Georgian parliamentary and government representatives towards the EU and its member states require a thorough analysis of the state of our relations with Georgia, including any further measures that may be necessary. In this regard, discussions within the EU are ongoing," the spokesperson said.