The pro-Russian party won the elections in Georgia; President calls for protests

The president of Georgia’s western ally has called for protests after a pro-Russian party won weekend parliamentary elections in the eastern European country amid calls for an investigation by the United States and its allies and allegations of voter intimidation.

In a speech on Sunday, President Salome Zourabichvili refused to recognize the election results, which she said would “not legitimize Russia’s takeover of Georgia” and called on citizens to protest in the capital Tbilisi.

“We were not only witnesses but also victims of what can only be described as a Russian special operation, a new form of hybrid warfare waged against our people and our country,” he said.

In the elections held on Saturday, the ruling Georgian Dream party won the parliament. 53% of votes.

But European election observers flagged widespread reports of “pressure on voters, particularly public sector workers” and “extensive surveillance of voters on election day”.

A statement from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said the elections “took place amid deep-rooted polarization, marred by concerns about the impact of recently adopted legislation on fundamental freedoms and civil society.” expression.

More: Russians fleeing Putin’s war against Ukraine find a new home and a moral dilemma

“Widespread reports of pressure on voters, particularly public sector workers,” and “extensive tracking of voters on election day have raised concerns about the ability of some voters to vote without fear of retribution.”

The European Union and the United States called for an investigation into possible “irregularities”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for “a thorough investigation of all reports of election-related violations.” expression Sunday.

European Commission High Representative Josep Borrell said: expression He said Georgian authorities must “fulfill their duty to investigate and adjudicate allegations of election irregularities and allegations in a prompt, transparent and independent manner.”

Four other pro-Western Georgian opposition parties also pushed back on the legitimacy of the election and said Georgians should take to the streets – Coalition for Change leader Nika Gvaramia called it a “constitutional coup” and Tina Bokuchava of the United National Movement said the election was “stolen”.

Natia Seskuria, a member of the Royal United Services Institute, said in a statement that the situation after the election could drag the country into a “deep and long-lasting political crisis”.

“Even if the EU recognizes the election results, but the country falls into a political crisis and the Government is unlikely to comply with EU requirements, it is unlikely that Georgia will be able to move forward on the path to European integration.” wrote.

More: Georgia defies EU and ‘returns to the past’ with Russia-style law that sparks mass protests

‘Enemies of the country should be banned’

Georgian Dream leader Bidzina Ivanishvili vowed to ban opposition parties at her last rally before the election.

“Those who are enemies of the people, enemies of the country should be banned.” he said in an interview Open Imedi TV last week.

The party also supported a law What Zourabichvili called an “exact copy” of the 2012 Russian law Russian President Vladimir Putin Suppress political dissent and suppress democratic rights. The bill’s passage in the spring sparked widespread protests in the capital.

By law, organizations that receive more than a fifth of their funding from outside the country must register as agents of foreign influence.

Supporters of the bill said it was necessary to eliminate foreign interference and Western influence operations.

Zourabichvili vetoed the bill, but his veto was overturned by the Georgian Dream-dominated Parliament.

Billionaire Ivanishvili made a fortune in the banking and computer industry Following Georgia’s secession from the Soviet Union, he campaigned on a platform of keeping Georgia out of the Ukraine War. Although the party says it supports Georgia’s bid to join the European Union, EU leaders say the party’s authoritarian tendencies prevent acceptance of that membership.

Georgian Dream has also launched a crackdown on LGBTQ rights, including supporting a bill in October that would ban gender transitions and could ban pride parades and rainbow flag displays.

Political interests of Russia and the West conflict in Georgia

Georgia, an Eastern European country with a population of about 3.7 million, has been the focus of strife between pro-Russian and pro-Western groups since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

A war broke out in 2008 when Russian-backed separatists tried to declare the independence of two regions in the country. Russia sent troops and today these regions remain under Russian control.

Georgia applied to join It became a member of the European Union in March 2022 and received candidate status the following year. Polls show Georgians have one of the highest rates of support for tightening ties with Europe among former Soviet states.

However Russia’s invasion of Ukraine It further deepened the political divide in the country. Since the beginning of the war, Some regions of Georgia have become shelters for Russians fleeing political persecution for protesting the war or refusing to serve.

Contributed by: Reuters

Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. Reach him via email at [email protected]. Follow her on X @CybeleMO.

‘Enemies of the country should be banned’

Political interests of Russia and the West conflict in Georgia

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