Democracy in Georgia collapses - opportunities for Russia, China and Iran

Democracy in Georgia collapses - opportunities for Russia, China and Iran

a decade ago, Georgia was considered a flagship under the post -Soviet states on the way to democracy and freedom. The government took steps to combat corruption, civil society experienced an upswing and the economy grew. American companies invested in the country.

Engagement in international missions

In 2004, although it was not a member of the NATO, Georgia sent soldiers to Afghanistan to join the USA and other members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). This became Georgia's largest non-Nato contribution to the mission. In 2005 the US President George W. Bush visited the capital of Tbilis, and the road leading to the airport was renamed "George W. Bush Straße".

democracy in danger

This street sign is still available, but today democracy is standing in Georgia, a strategically located country with 3.7 million people, before the collapse . In Washington, D.C., Republicans and Democrats enforce the adoption of the Megobari Act in a non-partisan advance.

"Megobari" means in the Georgian friend, and the supporters of the law want to strengthen the democratic practices, human rights and the rule of law in Georgia. The law would impose US sanctions, visa and asset locks against civil servants who are held responsible for election fraud, corruption and political repression. However, the American legislators warn that Georgia could quickly become under the influence of Russia, China and Iran.

shadow player and political pressure

For over 200 days, demonstrators are filling Tbilisi's main street and carry the flags of Georgia, the USA and the European Union. Many of them wear masks so as not from the increasingly installed Chinese Face recognition cameras to be recognized. The government has issued laws that enable the authorities to act against dissenting citizens. Injuries to these laws can be punished with fines of up to $ 2,000.

protests and human rights violations

demonstrators were captured and tortured, according to Transparency International, one of the anti-corruption groups. Last year, the United States imposed sanctions against the then Minister of Georgia, Vakhtang Gomelauri, because of “brutal and violent measures against members of the media, the opposition and counter -protests.”

Levan Makhashvili, a member of the Georgian Dream party and chairman of the Committee on European Integration in the Georgian Parliament, said that the protests were mostly peaceful. "There is a law: If you challenge state institutions, you have to expect legal consequences," he emphasized.

a clear turn to authority

Georgia held parliamentary elections that were classified as neither free nor fair by international observers. The opposition decided to boycott the new parliament, which enabled the government of Georgian Dream to enable draconian laws that further increase social tensions and burden the relationships with important western allies.

The European Parliament published a report a week ago that described the fake elections as "clear turn in the direction of an authoritarian regime in the EU candidate country" and called for new elections as well as a return to the democratic reform.

growing influences of China and Irans

China's influence in Georgia also grows. Last year, the government concluded a contract with a Georgian, US and European consortium to build the deep sea port Anaclia on the Black Sea coast. Instead, a contract received a contract of Chinese state-related companies, some of which are under US sanctions.

The Georgian Dream party also found friends in Iran. In May last year, the newly appointed Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze flew to Tehran to take part in the funeral of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. In July he returned to the Introduction of the new Iranian President.

decay of relationships with the USA

The once strong relationships of Georgia are crumbling to the United States. The outgoing US ambassador in Tbilisa, Robin Dunnigan, criticizes the government's “anti-American rhetoric” “anti-American rhetoric”. She reported that the leadership of Georgian Dream a sent, which was "threatening, insulting and dubious" and was extremely difficult in Washington.

Despite the increasing orientation of their government on Russia, the Georgians mainly support the integration with western. The Georgian constitution contains the order to strive for complete integration with the European Union and NATO. In November 2024, the government controlled by Georgian Dream, while emphasizing that she wanted to continue to work on the EU, declared her efforts-a decision that the US Foreign Ministry as a warning interpreted that Georgia was now "more susceptible to the Kremlin".

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 gave the Georgian Dream party a powerful but paranoid message: the West attempts to go to Georgia to war. This anti-war message finds a resonance at many Georgians, since Georgia himself was attacked by Russia in 2008, and Russia continued to Regions occupied that make up about 20% of the country's internationally recognized territory. Ivanishvili and his party have sharpened this claim and claim without evidence that a “global part of the war” will try to start a revolution in Georgia.

the megobari act and its meaning

the megobari-act Fighting Georgia is sponsored in the US representative house by Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, and in the Senate by the democrat Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire. The law was adopted in the House of Representatives and brought in in the Senate. If it is accepted in the Senate, it goes back to the House of Representatives, if changes have been made, and then the signature of President Donald Trump. The supporters are calling for a rapid farewell.

"The Georgian people have made it clear that it has euro-atlantic efforts, and the United States has to support them against Georgian Dream's efforts to erod their democratic institutions," said Shaheen in an interview with CNN. "At a time when Russia tries to undermine democracies in the region, we cannot turn back to an important partner who strives for a free and democratic future."

The Georgians themselves see a strong tool in the draft law to get Georgia back from the edge. "If sanctions not only signal, but also cause pain, the oligarchs notice that," said Zviad Adzinbaia, doctoral student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, "and in this case they sweat."

The challenges of the opposition

makhashvili rejected possible threats from the Megobari act, but realized that this "is a kind of symbol that we have several voices in the US congress that for any reason is not interested in normal relationships with Georgia". Some Georgians warn that the opposition members, who are threatened by the government, still feel split through different views of how to defend themselves. The current debate is about whether the opposition parties should take part in the nationwide local elections in October.

ia Meurmishvili, editor-in-chief of the international journalism initiative Independence Avenue Media, told CNN: "Elections are the foundation of all democracies and the only legitimate way of changing governments. If the Georgian opposition decides to boycott the choice, she sends a confusing signal to international democratic supporters Perhaps difficulties understand why an important democratic instrument is given up. ”

Giorgi Gakharia, a former Prime Minister of Georgia and leader of the opposition party "Für Georgia", is in the cross -country cross of the Georgian Dream. The authorities have accused him of treason, which most western observers describe as a politically motivated attack. He threatens up to 15 to 20 years in prison, and he is currently outside Georgia. His party explains that the impending local elections in October could be "the last democratic battle to stop Georgia's descent into authoritarianism."

He said to CNN: "While the Megobari act offers hope of increased western cooperation, international pressure alone cannot reverse the current direction of Georgia. The regime is aggressively working to eliminate all credible alternatives, but I am convinced that Georgian society has the will and the courage to resist and its rightful space in Europe as long as the world and as long as the world remains vigilant. "