The Georgian parliament has declared the national-conservative ruling party Georgian Dream the winner of the country's parliamentary elections, claiming it secured 54 percent of the vote. The pro-European opposition, however, is contesting the results and has accused the electoral commission of manipulation. Europe's press speculates on the consequences of the election, also for the country's relations with Europe.
Playing on fears of Russia
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Fear of Putin is one of the factors behind the success of Georgian Dream, Russian political scientist Abbas Gallyamov comments on Facebook:
“'No to war, vote for peace' - this was the slogan of the Georgian pro-Putin party. As in the last elections in Hungary, pro-Russian forces in the Caucasus are playing on people's fear of war with the slogan: anyone who criticises Putin will drag you into a war with him, so vote for us and we'll reach a deal with Moscow somehow. The success of this strategy in no way reflects the popularity of Putin or his policies. It speaks only of the people's desire to avoid a confrontation with Russia.”
Time to grow up
The democratic opposition in Georgia can only win if it focuses on exerting influence within the system, writes Ukrainian political strategist Ruslan Rokhov on Facebook:
“Yes, Georgian Dream has systematically used all the forbidden techniques, but the opposition has been incapable of countering this. Unfortunately, the only option left for the opposition is a revolution. But that won't happen under the current circumstances, because Georgia has Russia on its border. I repeat for the umpteenth time: children, teenagers and young people are rebelling, but adults are exerting systemic influence! It's time to grow up and start exerting systemic political influence. Otherwise, the pro-Russian forces and autocrats will win.”
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Orbán's betrayal of Europe
The Hungarian leader is travelling to Georgia today to celebrate an anti-European development, Corriere della Sera (Italy) writes in outrage:
“Orbán is currently the rotating president of the EU, and that makes his gesture, which applauds the enemies of Europe and can only be described as betrayal, extremely serious. A betrayal of the EU, its values and the alliances that bind its destiny. With his visit to Tbilisi, Orbán has definitely let his mask slip: on top of the shame of the illiberal democracy he has created in his country, he is now adding the mockery of an open challenge to Europe's international reputation. He is a friend of Putin and his friends. The European countries can no longer stand idly by.”
Europeans must get involved
Experts on European and geopolitical affairs call on the EU to stand up for Moldova and Georgia in a guest article in La Libre Belgique:
“Europeans must definitively assert their status as a committed partner for the region, building on the efforts made since February 2022. One of the EU's best instruments for exerting their influence is the European Political Community. ... The next meeting will take place in Budapest, on Viktor Orbán's terrain. ... This will be a real test for the cohesion of the 27 member states, which need to present a united front in the event of electoral fraud and protests in Moldova and Georgia. Because in the absence of European leadership in the short and medium term, and given the risk of US disengagement, Russia and China will continue to push their way into these countries.”
EU in a dilemma
Supporters of the opposition could end up being doubly punished, taz (Germany) surmises:
“The brutality used by the police and security forces against demonstrators is well known. The EU is also in a dilemma. The accession process is already on ice. As things stand now, this is likely to remain so for the time being if Brussels wants to save face. Worse still, further sanctions are on the horizon, such as the abolition of visa-free travel. Even if this step seems necessary from an EU perspective, the young generation in particular would be penalised a second time after the elections. Do we seriously want this? The answer is clearly: No!”
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