Presidential campaign: EU interferes in Georgia's affairs on the eve of elections
The visit of the European Parliament delegation to Georgia can be considered only as another interference of the West in the country's politics. Thierry Mariani, a member of the EP from France, told Izvestia. Western politicians met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on December 12, calling for a review of the results of the parliamentary elections. It is possible that the situation could escalate on the eve of the vote for a new president, but the ruling Georgian Dream party said it would continue to work according to its course. The visit of the MPs comes after Tbilisi suspended negotiations on joining the European Union. The expert community notes that Georgia still intends to join the community, but on rather comfortable terms.
Visit of MEPs to Georgia on the eve of elections
On December 12, a delegation of the European Parliament met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who is considered the informal leader of the pro-Western opposition in the country. The visit took place right before the presidential election, while protests have been ongoing in the republic for weeks and relations with the EU are at their lowest level in several years. Among the members of the delegation are Rasa Jukniaviciene from Lithuania and Michal Szczerba from Poland. By the way, it is Lithuania and Poland that are known for their maximally anti-Russian positions.
During the meeting with the president, the delegation called for new parliamentary elections in the republic. Such a step of the MEPs should be considered as another interference of the EU in the Georgian democracy, said Thierry Mariani, a French MEP.
- The EU, which only talks about external interference, is in fact the one who interferes in the affairs of other countries at the international level. Zurabishvili's mandate is expiring. According to the constitution a new president should be elected after parliamentary elections. Everyone knows very well that Zurabishvili has no chance to be re-elected. Therefore, we are talking about a new attack on Georgian democracy. The EU authorities take themselves for some kind of Communist International that gives orders to Georgia," he told Izvestia.
The EU does not accept Tbilisi's democratic choice and is doing everything to ensure that friends of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, under whom the republic was actively pursuing a course of joining the community, regain power, the MEP is sure.
- However, Georgians have already made their choice. Europe recognizes the results of only those elections that are beneficial to them. The elections in Ukraine have been canceled and Brussels is not perturbed by it, but they want to revise the results of the elections in Georgia. The EU did not like the results of the first round of presidential elections in Romania, and they simply canceled them. All this is looking more and more like a farce," said Thierry Mariani.
In late November, members of the European Parliament, where the majority of supporters of the current head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen have a majority, adopted a resolution on the situation in Georgia, in which they called for non-recognition of the results of the parliamentary elections in this country, holding a second vote, as well as EU sanctions against Georgian politicians.
Presidential elections in Georgia will be held on December 14. The only contender for the highest office is former MP and former soccer player Mikhail Kavelashvili. His candidacy was put forward by the Georgian Dream. The opposition did not present its candidate and explained it in a joint statement of December 12 as follows: "Salome Zurabishvili remains the President of Georgia, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Georgian Defense Forces and the highest representative of the country in foreign relations".
Who is urging Georgians to protest
For the first time the head of state will be elected by an electoral college of 300 deputies of various bodies, not by the country's residents. At the same time, this year a one-party parliament consisting of the Georgian Dream was assembled, as the opposition did not recognize the results of the elections and laid down their seats. And given the fact that Zurabishvili has been in conflict with the ruling party for several years now, her chances of becoming president again are slim to none.
By the way, it was the incumbent president who called on the population to come out to protests in connection with the allegedly "illegitimate elections". They have been going on in the republic for more than a month. The first parliamentary session on November 25 was also accompanied by actions. By the way, it should be noted that a couple of weeks later there were reshuffles. Thus, the legislative body approved a resolution on termination of parliamentary powers of Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, who became the Prime Minister of Georgia, and presidential candidate Mikhail Kavelashvili.
The situation escalated after Tbilisi on November 28 refused to negotiate accession to the European Union - the Georgian Dream postponed them until the end of 2028. For the same period the republic refuses "any budgetary grants from the European Union". After the decision to suspend the negotiations, another scandal occurred in the republic: protests were held in different cities of Georgia, and protesters in Tbilisi broke the windows of the parliament building and threw fireworks at it, after which a fire started there. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze even announced an attempt to realize the Ukrainian Maidan scenario in Georgia. Nevertheless, it failed.
On the eve of the presidential election the situation may become even more acute, the State Security Service of the republic reported earlier. By the way, the situation is being aggravated by the president herself, who said that she will remain in her position until the formation of a "legally elected parliament."
However, the Georgian Dream says that they do not expect the situation in the republic to escalate after the presidential election.
- Everything will be according to plan, we will elect a president, there will be no complications, no one will interfere with us. We will definitely go in our direction even if there are protests," ruling party MP Shota Khabareli told Izvestia.
Can Georgia return to the course of European integration?
The ruling party's relations with the EU have been deteriorating for a long time, which is actually the main reason for the disagreement. The ruling party previously initiated the adoption of the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence". Also with the help of "Dream", the law banning LGBT propaganda (the movement is recognized as extremist in Russia) was approved in the republic.
This has repeatedly created an excuse to accuse Georgian Dream of a "pro-Russian course," which the party itself rejects. Dream explained its actions by the fact that after the start of the SWO in Ukraine, Western forces began to call for opening a second front in the country to confront Russia and impose sanctions against Moscow. At the same time, it remains Tbilisi's most important trade and economic partner, so such a step would lead to dire consequences for Georgia. The party also emphasized that if it stays in power, peace is guaranteed in the country, while if the opposition comes in, it is likely to be dragged into war.
Resentment over Tbilisi's actions has been repeatedly expressed in Europe as well. On December 11, French President Emmanuel Macron called the founder of the Georgian Dream and expressed regret that the country has deviated from the European trajectory.
The West began to show its discontent with Georgia's foreign policy especially after the parliamentary elections. Thus, Brussels and Washington called to investigate violations during the voting. And on November 30, the U.S. suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia. At this rate, it cannot be ruled out that Europe may even cancel visa-free regime with Georgia, which has been in effect since 2017.
At the same time, it should be taken into account that Georgia is not completely abandoning the process of European integration, but is prioritizing other priorities, Vadim Mukhanov, head of the Caucasus sector at the IMEMO RAS, tells Izvestia. However, it is futile to expect that Western pressure will somehow influence the situation.
- There is no official refusal [to join the EU], and the Georgian government still wants to join, but on rather comfortable terms. This is what we need to operate with when we talk about the current relations between Tbilisi and the EU. It is not Georgia that is refusing European integration, but the EU is putting pressure on the current Georgian government. The EU and the US want a more controlled government in Georgia," he says.
In the meantime, the ruling party will be more concerned with internal political stability and the election process, and certainly not with European integration, the expert concluded.
