the Russian threat blocks the desire for Europe

Vladimir Putin rubs his hands. In Georgia, a small country in the Caucasus, the party in power since 2012, Georgian Dream, obtained 54% of the votes in the legislative elections of October 26. The Russian president must have savored the victory of this party vilifying a “decadent” West and denouncing a Europe which would represent the “party of war”.

However, more than three quarters of the Georgian population say they are in favor of joining the European Union according to polls. A paradox which can be explained: on the northern border of this country of 3.7 million inhabitants looms the menacing shadow of the Russian giant. He launched a blitzkrieg against Georgia in 2008 when he felt that the country was getting too close to the West. Russia has since occupied 20% of Georgian territory.

Traumatized, Georgians fear a new war, particularly since the invasion of Ukraine. Georgian Dream understood this well and constantly repeated that a victory for the opposition would cause chaos. “Do not believe that all the voters of this party are pro-Russian,” observes Gotcha Javakhishvili, former ambassador of Georgia to France. Many just don’t want to receive bombs. »

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Officially, Georgian Dream defends membership in Europe and is careful not to present itself as aligned with Russia. “No party would win seats if it called itself pro-Russian,” slips the ex-ambassador. But if this party advances in disguise, it discovered itself last May by adopting a law against “foreign influence”, muzzling NGOs and the media to repress any dissident voice. A text modeled on a similar law in Russia. Enough to encourage Gotcha Javakhishvili to resign from his post as ambassador in 2024. “I have long understood the anti-war argument of power, but I prefer the abuses which result from freedoms to a country where no one would dare anything anymore say. »

On October 26, Georgian Dream surprised. Credited with 35% of the votes in the polls, he finished at 54%. Observers noted cases of intimidation and ballot stuffing. The country’s president, Salomé Zourabichvili, denounced a “total falsification”. Since then, protests have gripped the capital, Tbilisi. “Russia no longer even needs to send tanks to influence the country,” squeaks Gotcha Javakhishvili. To Putin’s complete satisfaction.