Elections, where will Georgia go with Russia or the West?

2024-10-19 22:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Republic of Georgia, which was part of the Soviet Union until it gained independence in 1991, is gearing up for crucial elections on October 26 that are widely thought to decide the country's direction towards the West or Russia. Western powers accuse the ruling party 'Georgian Dream' of weakening democracy. As Voice of America correspondent Henry Ridgwell reports from Tbilisi, the leaders of this party are trying to exploit the fear of Georgian voters about the possibility of war before the elections.

The ads of the ruling party 'Georgian Dream' seek to present a shocking choice for voters. On one side, the images of devastation from Russia's war in Ukraine. On the other side, views of prosperous Georgia. The slogan says: "No to War! Choose peace".

The "Georgian Dream" party accuses rivals of being part of what it calls "a global war party".

"They claim that the opposition will drag the country into a war with Russia and that the opposition is basically an agent of the West, part of the 'global war party,'" says political analyst Ghia Nodia.

The 'Georgian Dream' party insists on its message.

"No representative of the Georgian Dream has declared that the West is all with the global war party. It has been said that some individuals – be they politicians, entrepreneurs or other actors – may be supporting the ongoing wars, as well as Georgia's involvement in the war," says Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Russia's war in Ukraine is the main topic for the October 26 elections. Russian forces still occupy 20% of Georgian territory after the 2008 invasion.

For many, the elections are an opportunity to decide on Georgia's future direction: with the West, or with Moscow.

"It's a choice about the kind of country we want to live in. The West represents democracy, while Russia represents totalitarianism," says analyst Nodia.

Polls suggest that 80% of Georgians want membership in the European Union. Last year, the EU granted Georgia the status of a candidate country.

But relations quickly cooled.

The European Union effectively froze membership talks after Georgia in April passed a so-called 'foreign agents law' that the West says mimics the law in Russia used to crack down on dissidents.

The violent suppression of protests against the Georgian government even prompted the United States and the European Union to impose sanctions on Georgian officials. European lawmakers accuse the government of leaning towards Russia.

The Georgian Dream party rejects the charge - and says the country is on track to join the EU by 2030.

"I think that these issues are temporary and that we can find a common language with the EU and the USA", says the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Commission, Nikoloz Samkharadze.

For the first time, legislators will be elected by a fully proportional system. Many opposition parties have come together in four broad coalitions. Polls suggest that no single party, or coalition, will win a majority – while the public mistrusts the entire political class.

Can the opposition unite to remove the 'Georgian Dream' Party from power?

"I think there are still enough arguments to create a consensus about the need to change the government, despite this distrust," says Giga Bokeria, a member of the Federalist Party.

Desired by the West, by Russia and increasingly by China - Georgia faces a choice about its future direction. The elections are seen as a historic moment for a country on the front line of growing geopolitical tensions./ VOA