Opposition protests – Western restraint

In Georgia, the opposition is protesting fraud in parliamentary elections, but the West's initial response has not called into question the entire vote.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken simply called on Georgian politicians to remove “flaws in the electoral process.” Blinken wrote on Platform X that you should embrace the rule of law and roll back laws that restrict basic freedoms.

Demonstrations are expected on Monday afternoon (7pm local time, 4pm CET) on Rustaveli Prospekt, Tbilisi's main street. Salome Zurabishvili, the pro-Western president of the small South Caucasus nation, called for this. She called the election victory officially declared by the national conservative ruling party “Georgian Dream” a tampering with the will of voters, which she would not admit.

In a series of interviews with international media, Zurabishvili said the opposition aimed to hold another election. She demanded that support from Western countries be needed for this.

Zurabishvili suspects Russian influence is behind these manipulations: “We have witnessed and been victims of Russian special operations,” she said. Kakha Kaladze, secretary-general of Georgian Dream, called Zurabishvili’s insinuations shameful. As a former Soviet republic that is a candidate for EU membership, this election is also related to further reconciliation with the EU.

Despite massive irregularities, election managers declared the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party the winner with nearly 54% of the vote. The party's strongman is billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made her fortune in Russia. The four largest pro-European opposition coalitions each received 11 percent or less.

Russia denies interference in Georgia

The Kremlin denies Russian interference in the election. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European countries had instead put pressure on countries on Russia's southern border. “Many forces from European countries and European institutions tried to influence the outcome of the vote,” he said, according to Russian news agencies.

EU asks for clarification on violations

Georgian and international observers noted numerous irregularities during Saturday's vote. They cited vote buying and pressure on voters, the frequent throwing of ballots into ballot boxes and the abuse of state influence in support of the government. On the other hand, it is said that with 18 parties on the ballot, there is a wide range of choices.

Like Blinken, EU Council President Charles Michel also called on the Georgian leader to clarify the violations. He wrote on X that Georgia now needs constructive dialogue across the political spectrum. He will also put future relations with Georgia on the agenda of the next European Council in Budapest in November. “We reiterate the EU’s call on Georgia’s leaders to demonstrate their compliance with the EU approach in the country.”

EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell and the European Commission made similar remarks in statements. Brussels has suspended the negotiation process with Georgia due to the implementation of several repressive laws by “Georgian Dream”.

Heads of government confirm EU path

Iraqi Prime Minister Kobachidze sought to allay concerns about drifting away from the EU line. He told a government meeting that Georgia wanted to be fully integrated into the EU by 2030. He expects a new beginning next year in the currently difficult relationship with the EU.

Like President Zurabishvili, the pro-European opposition does not recognize the election results. Some opposition coalitions did not want to accept their mandate. However, the ruling party believes that parliament can still operate legally. Kobakhidze said opposition MPs were not needed in any case. Georgian Dream had threatened to ban the opposition party before the election. (Sudanese Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)

According to the Washington Post, Chinese hackers intercepted phone calls of U.S. politicians. An adviser to Donald Trump is said to be among those being monitored.