The elections are seen as a referendum that will determine Georgia's future course.
Parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia on October 26, 2024, which have acquired particular significance against the backdrop of increasing domestic political challenges and uncertainty about the country's future. The elections are seen as a referendum that will determine Georgia's future course.
The ruling party is rapidly moving towards rapprochement with Russia, which the EU perceives as a threat to democracy in the region, since the “Georgian Dream” is gradually moving the country away from European integration. Mariam Gersamia, professor at Tbilisi State University, founder of the Media Voice media and communications educational and research center, told TSN.ua about the dangers of Russian influence.
“Horror” instead of “dream”
The growing tension in the country became evident during the rallies, where one of the main slogans of the protesters was the assertion that “Georgia chooses Europe.” Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in recent months to protest the ruling Georgian Dream party's efforts to pass a law that would require organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to be registered as “foreign agents.”
“We are no longer living the Georgian dream, but a Russian nightmare. The so-called “Russian law” in Georgia, officially known as the Foreign Influence Transparency Law, mirrors similar repressive laws in Russia,” Mariam Gersamia emphasized.
As the professor noted, the adoption of this law before the elections is an attempt to suppress democratic processes and weaken public aspirations for a European future.
It should be recalled that the reaction of the European Union was sharply negative. In particular, European leaders noted that this law significantly limits the activities of independent media and public organizations, weakening democracy and the rule of law. The European Parliament and other EU institutions have clearly stated that the adoption of such laws could negatively affect Georgia's progress in implementing the reforms necessary to obtain EU candidate status. In one of its official statements, the European External Action Service (EEAS) noted that the adoption of such a law creates a threat of a return to authoritarian practices.
Mariam Gersamia explained the dangers of the pro-Russian law.
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