New Eastern Europe received this open letter from one of our contributors based in Georgia. We are republishing it here in support of Georgian society and in an effort to help raise awareness of the situation that is taking place there.

An interview with Heidi Tagliavini, head of the independent international fact-finding mission into the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war. Interviewer: Vazha Tavberidze

In a vote marred by irregularities, manipulation and fraud, the Georgian Dream party recently secured its fourth consecutive term in power. The election was quickly dubbed a Russian “special operation” by the opposition. However, the autocratic ways of Georgian Dream are long in the making and a homegrown phenomenon.

After a weekend of turbulent elections, tens of thousands of Georgians flooded the streets of Tbilisi. Opposition leader and President Salomé Zourabichvili claims her country is “the victim of a special operation by Putin”.

The region is currently experiencing a wave of elections that could prove pivotal for the future of various countries. If the West is to properly halt Russian designs concerning these events, it must offer a comprehensive plan to both political parties and civil society to strengthen and maintain democratic values in the area.

The West’s failure to support Georgian democracy would have profound implications for its credibility. It would suggest an unwillingness or inability to stand by its allies and support civil movements, potentially leading other pro-western nations to reassess their alliances.

From Russia to Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia to Hungary, “foreign agent” style laws have become a preferred instrument for authoritarians to extinguish critical voices, shield their rule from scrutiny and strengthen their hold on power.

By stigmatizing independent civil society, media and other dissenting voices as “trojan horses”, “foreign agent” laws have offered a convenient framing to delegitimize and isolate them. In addition, they have also helped to impose harsh monitoring and reporting requirements and shut critics out of public life. As the promotion of democratic practices and human rights threatens authoritarians’ grip on power, foreign agent laws offer a handy tool to discredit these activities by equating them with promoting the interests of a foreign power.

Across the region there has been a lot of talk about the power of young voters. While this group was seemingly responsible for a recent shift towards the centre in Poland, young people are also linked to growing radicalism. This has seen the youth vote increasingly correlated with a potential threat to democratic values and norms.

The 2023 elections in Poland were historic with a record turnout exceeding 74 per cent. The dissatisfied youth moved against the ruling party, leading to many headlines declaring that “young voters and women saved the elections.” Indeed, many polling stations remained open well past closing time, as videos circulated on social media of queues of voters stretching far down the street. There is no doubt that the youth vote played a decisive role in preventing another term for the populist Law and Justice (PiS) party. But did they also stop the far right from gaining influence?

Georgians overwhelmingly support NATO and EU membership and deserve a government that aligns with their aspirations. The West requires reliable partners in the South Caucasus and access to critical checkpoints in connectivity and trade. The current decline in relations between Tbilisi and the West can only be seen as a victory for Russia and China. The elections in October 2024 will provide one last chance for the country and its democratic perspectives.

Georgia is a small country with unique geopolitical importance to Russia, China and the West. Its regional and international positioning is heavily determined by the role of connecting Europe and Asia through the Black Sea. In this light, Russia’s war in Ukraine has profoundly affected the shift in Georgia’s foreign trajectory and democratic backsliding.

The ruling party in Georgia has continued to pursue policies that threaten both the country’s democracy and westward orientation. This will become a key issue during the upcoming elections, with citizens faced with a choice that will involve more than just rival political parties.

Georgia’s ongoing protests have only further exposed the political divides between state and society. While the Georgian population overwhelmingly backs a European future, citizens will have to chose their next moves carefully during a particularly tense time in wider international affairs.

Last year, Georgia’s government proposed a controversial “foreign agents” law similar to that in Russia. While protests forced the authorities to back down at the time, a renewed attempt has resulted in more demonstrations demanding a European future for the country.