Georgia, civil society unites to observe elections, challenges 'foreign agents' law

2024-10-20 18:46:50, Kosova & Bota CNA

Georgia, civil society unites to observe elections, challenges 'foreign

As the Republic of Georgia prepares to hold elections on October 26, there are fears that the ruling Georgian Dream party may not relinquish power easily. As VOA correspondent Henry Ridgwell reports from the capital Tbilisi, many civil society organizations are mobilizing to ensure that the elections are free and fair.

Georgia's democracy is facing a test. For many voters, the country's future is at stake.

In the spring, thousands of people took to the streets to protest the government's 'foreign agents' law, passed in June. The law requires organizations that source more than 20 percent of their budget from abroad to register as 'foreign agents'.

Critics say the law mimics Russian legislation used to crack down on opponents. The government insists the law is needed to show who funds political organizations.

One of the main targets of the government is Eka Gigauri, the head of the Georgian branch of the anti-corruption organization 'Transparency International'. It has refused to register the organization as a 'foreign agent' risking prosecution and heavy fines.

"We are using all legal means to fight, to resist, to disobey and to inform the citizens about the violations of the government. But there is always the fear that the government will start implementing this law", says Mrs. Gigauri.

She is not alone, most civil society organizations have refused to agree. Some, like the independent organization Tabula Media, have found ways to circumvent the law.

"We were forced to re-establish the organization in an EU country, in Estonia, but this deeply complicates financial operations and puts employees at risk of prosecution by the state," says Mr. Sutidze.

The pro-democracy organization 'Shame' initially agreed and registered as a foreign agent. But in early September, the group reversed its decision after a public backlash.

"The situation escalated into conspiracy theories and personal attacks, people called us traitors," says one of the leaders of the Shame organization, Dachi Imedadze.

Now the organization is campaigning to convince young people to vote.

"Many of them will vote for the first time in these elections," he says.

Nino Lomjaria heads the non-governmental organization "European Orbit of Georgia". Her election leaflets have a clear message.

"One leaflet says, 'will you choose European welfare or the Russian quagmire?'" she says.

Ms. Lomjaria also refused to register as a foreign agent. She says many civil society organizations are cooperating before the elections.

"What we did was create a large-scale election observation coalition, which is made up of about 30 organizations. Our plan is to be present in every voting center to observe the entire process of voting and vote counting", says Mrs. Lomjaria.

There are fears that the ruling party 'Georgian Dream' may not give up power easily. The party says it will respect the will of the people.

Six months after the protests, a fragile calm has returned to the streets of Tbilisi ahead of the elections. Many civil society organizations are now focusing their efforts to ensure that the vote will be free and fair./ VOA