Georgian PM Irakli Kobakhidze said on Tuesday that the attempt to organize what he called "revolution" in the country has failed, after the fifth consecutive night of protests against the decision to suspend the negotiations for accession to the European Union, quoted him as saying "Reuters".
Georgia, one of the most pro-Western successor states to the former Soviet Union since 1991. has been gripped by crisis since last Thursday, when the ruling party "Georgian Dream" announced that it is suspending negotiations for joining the European Union until 2028.
In a setback for government critics, Georgia's constitutional court on Tuesday refused to hear a case seeking to annul the October 26 parliamentary election results, which were officially won by the "Georgian Dream" with almost 54% of the vote, but the opposition claims the process was tainted by fraud.
The case was brought by President Salome Zurabishvili, a pro-European critic of the ruling party that supports the protests. However, her powers are mostly ceremonial and her term expires next month.
In response to a question from "Reuters" at a press briefing, Kobakhidze said: "The attempt to organize the Maidan in Georgia has already ended. I would urge everyone to shut up".
Kobahidze was referring to the 2014 Maidan uprising. in Ukraine, leading to the ouster and flight of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych after he reneged on a trade deal with the EU.
Thousands of protesters gathered for a fifth night on Monday, protesting outside the parliament building in Tbilisi and in smaller cities in the mountainous country of 3.7 million.
Protesters in Tbilisi threw fireworks at riot police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Protesters also set up barricades along the city's central Rustaveli Boulevard, and clashes continued into the early hours of Tuesday.
Local media quoted an interior ministry statement as saying 22 people were arrested and 12 law enforcement officers were injured. Twenty-three protesters were taken to hospital, they said.
A 22-year-old man is in intensive care, having suffered brain damage after a tear gas attack, Interpress agency reported.
At Tuesday's briefing, Kobakhidze said the organizers of the protests would face legal consequences for their role, saying the demonstrations were a violent attempt to seize power.
"There are specific individuals who have committed crimes... So in the end the prosecutor's office will make decisions about it,", he added.