More than 100 serving Georgian diplomats have signed an open letter criticising the new government's suspension of EU accession talks, a diplomat said on Friday, and a protest against the move led to overnight clashes on the streets of the capital.

Police clashed with protesters in the Georgian capital Tbilisi early on Friday, after the country’s ruling party said the government would suspend talks on European Union accession and refuse budgetary grants until 2028.

Georgia has suspended its bid to join the European Union, prompting thousands of protesters to take to the streets, where they clashed with police in the capital of Tbilisi.