Georgians demand PM resigns, EU membership

Tens of thousands of people have turned out in the Georgian capital Tbilisi to call for the country's accession to the European Union.

The demonstrations came after EU leaders granted Ukraine and Moldova candidate status on Thursday, while Georgia - which shares its entire northern border with Russia - was offered the prospect of becoming an official candidate once it carries out reforms.

Protesters also called for Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to resign, saying his government has not sufficiently pushed for Georgia to become an EU membership candidate, Georgian media reported.

Protest organisers outside parliament called for a transitional government.

"If the government doesn't want to hear the will of the Georgian people, we will ... show them the rage of the Georgian people like they have never seen it before," said a speaker at the protest.

Protesters started calling for more efforts to gain closer EU ties on Monday.

The country submitted an application for EU membership in Brussels in March, which Garibashvili had called a "milestone" for Georgia's path to European integration.