Just a week before the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, a massive rally took place in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. Thousands of Georgians gathered to express their support for their nation’s path towards the European Union. The elections are viewed as a significant indication of whether Georgia will continue its pro-European trajectory or revert to Russia’s sphere of influence.
The rally’s participants were united under the banner of a European future for Georgia, rather than any specific political party. Nodar Kharshiladze, a protester who supports EU membership, emphasized the importance of the gathering and the unity it symbolizes. He expressed concern about the government’s actions that seem to undermine Georgia’s European future and stressed the rally’s significance as an expression of support for Europe.
In the previous year, the EU granted Georgia candidate country status. However, critics argue that the ruling Georgian Dream party has since hindered the nation’s chances of joining the bloc. Two recent pieces of legislation have particularly drawn criticism. The first is an anti-LGBTQ+ rights bill, which includes bans on same-sex marriages, adoptions by same-sex couples, and limitations on the depiction of LGBTQ+ couples in the media, among other things.
The other controversial law passed recently requires media organizations and NGOs to register as foreign agents if they receive at least 20% of their funding from abroad. The Georgian government claims this law, known as the “transparency law,” will check alleged foreign attempts to influence domestic politics. However, critics liken it to similar laws enacted by the Kremlin to target political opponents.
Despite the popularity of the Georgian Dream party, there is a growing fear among some Georgians that they are being gradually pulled towards Moscow’s orbit, over three decades after gaining independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The upcoming elections and the nation’s response to these controversial laws will significantly influence Georgia’s political and economic future. For potential investors, this indicates a period of uncertainty that requires careful monitoring.
