**EU Official Says Georgia Needs Reforms to Join EU**
The European Union’s top diplomat for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, has said that Georgia needs significant changes before it can be considered for membership in the EU. According to Borrell, Georgia’s progress towards joining the EU has slowed due to democratic backsliding.
**Tensions Rise in Occupied Abkhazia**
In occupied Abkhazia, tensions have escalated after local security services arrested five opposition figures. There were reports of confrontations outside the security service headquarters and blockades on bridges and roads. Unconfirmed reports also suggested that military vehicles had entered Sokhumi.
**Opposition Parties React to EU MPs Visit**
The visit of senior lawmakers from eight European countries has been met with criticism from Georgia’s ruling party. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili described the visit as a “desire to subjugate” and accused the EU MPs of spreading lies and promoting unrest.
**Opposition Forces Unite**
Three opposition forces that passed the election threshold have begun consulting on a unified format. The Coalition for Change, Unity-UNM, and Strong Georgia aim to speak with one voice and facilitate communication with international partners and the Georgian public.
**Protests Continue**
Protests against rigged parliamentary elections continued on November 11, with demonstrators demanding the release of Afghan Sadigov, an Azeri journalist arrested by law enforcement officials. Another protest was held in support of Sadigov’s release.
**Georgian Citizens Detained by Russian Forces**
The State Security Service reported that two Georgian citizens had been detained by Russian occupation forces near the occupied village of Tsnelisi. The SSSG activated its mechanisms to secure the release of the detainees and informed international partners, including the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions.
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