Huge crowds have taken to the streets of Tbilisi and other Georgian cities in recent days to protest the government's decision on November 28 to freeze EU accession talks. This latest wave of protests follows weeks of unrest over controversial parliamentary elections in October, which opposition parties and independent observers say were marred by widespread fraud.
The announcement to freeze the country's EU membership bid coincided with a European Parliament resolution condemning Georgia's parliamentary elections as “neither free nor fair” and calling for a rerun of the vote under international supervision. The resolution strongly condemned Russia's “systematic interference in Georgia's democratic processes” and criticized the policies pursued by the ruling Georgian Dream party as “incompatible with Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration.”
Opponents accuse the Georgian government of violating Georgia's constitution , which mandates integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures. The decision to suspend the EU accession process has caused widespread anger and confusion in Georgian society, where the majority has long favored closer ties with Europe. Polls show that about 80 percent of Georgians support the country's integration into the EU.
Protests erupted immediately after the decision to freeze EU talks was announced, with large numbers of people gathering in the centre of the Georgian capital to defend themselves against what many see as an attack on their country’s democratic system and European future. The authorities responded by ordering a harsh response, which included the use of water cannons and tear gas against protesters, as well as the arrest of prominent opposition figures and numerous cases of police brutality. Security forces have been accused of deliberately targeting journalists and assaulting protesters attempting to record evidence of the violence.
The protests currently taking place across Georgia are the latest in a long period of anti-government unrest that began last year when the ruling Georgian Dream party attempted to pass a Russian-style foreign agent law targeting civil society. The protests then resumed after parliamentary elections in October. Many in Tbilisi now compare the current events to the April 1989 protests that were suppressed by Soviet authorities, sparking a movement for Georgian independence. Comparisons are also common with the two post-Soviet Maidan revolutions in Ukraine in defense of the country’s fledgling democracy and European choice.
Some Georgian government officials sided with the protesters, with hundreds signing an open letter condemning the suspension of EU accession talks. Several Georgian ambassadors and senior officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Teimuraz Janjalia, resigned in protest. Meanwhile, schools and universities across the country have suspended classes amid signs of a growing campaign of civil disobedience.
The protests have also attracted significant international support. In a statement on November 29 , leaders of the U.S. Helsinki Commission expressed solidarity with the Georgian people, condemning the government’s crackdown and declaring the Georgian authorities “illegitimate.” Other countries have issued similar statements or imposed sanctions on Georgian Dream officials linked to violence against protesters.
The growing confrontation in Georgia has potentially far-reaching implications for the wider region. Critics of the Georgian Dream government accuse the party of seeking to turn their country away from Euro-Atlantic integration and return Georgia to Russia’s sphere of influence. They argue that Georgia is a key battleground in the struggle between the democratic world and an emerging axis of authoritarian states led by Russia and China.
If Moscow can bring Georgia back into the Kremlin’s orbit, it could have serious implications for neighboring Armenia, which has sought to deepen ties with the West amid frustration over Russia’s failure to support the country during its recent war with Azerbaijan. It would also send a powerful signal to other countries looking to turn away from Moscow at a time when Russia is fighting Europe’s biggest war since World War II in Ukraine over Kyiv’s European aspirations.
The Georgian Dream government rejects accusations that it is turning the country away from Europe and back toward Moscow. During the recent parliamentary election campaign, it focused on messages of peace and stability, saying it was protecting Georgia from the fate of Ukraine. But the scale of the current protests suggests that a large percentage of Georgians reject the idea of peace at the expense of the most basic human rights and democratic freedoms.
As the opposition movement grows, much may now depend on the role of the international community. Protest leaders will be hoping that the US, EU, and other Western countries will impose tougher sanctions on Georgian Dream officials while increasing support for independent media and civil society in Georgia. As Western officials consider their response to events in Georgia, they will be keenly aware of the high stakes. The outcome of the protests will likely determine Georgia’s future and shape the geopolitical climate in the South Caucasus and beyond for years to come.
Ana Lejava is a research fellow at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.
Source: Source
