May 28: Georgian 'Nightmare'

A quick up-date on events in Georgia today

Note to Everyone:

E-Stories is on pause for just a few more days since it’s exam season at University, but in the meantime…

A very brief post on today’s breaking news.

The ruling Georgian Dream government has overriden the president’s veto on the ‘Russian’ Foreign Agents’ Bill, bringing Georgians closer to authoritarian rule.

Georgian protesters are currently outside the parliament building expressing their dissent and disgust as parliamentarians are leaving the building. Katie Shoshiashvili report that “people chant “Russians”, “Slaves” outside of the Georgian parliament as the ruling Georgian Dream adopts the Russian law on foreign agents.

The Ministry of the Interior put out a notice that they are deploying riot police ‘to maintain’ public order and creating a corridor for the parliamentarians to pass.

There is widespread condemnation coming from various foreign ministries in Europe, and expect the US State Department to release a statement in the near future. The message released by the Foreign Ministry in Denmark echoes what almost all partners in the EU are saying:

The Foreign Agents’ Bill is the perfect example of weaponsised interdependence between the Georgian Dream led-government and the Russia. This goes beyond mere elite and political capture by the Russians: the Georgian Dream party and government members of parliament are drafting and enacting laws that mirror Russian models.

As reported by the Guardian, Shalva Papuashvili, the speaker of the Georgian parliament from the ruling Georgian Dream party, has issued a lengthy letter to his European counterparts defending the controversial ‘foreign agents’ law.

“What continues frustrating us, is the stigmatization of this Law by internal and external actors as well as their tendency for jumping to quick conclusions,” he wrote.

“I am confident that the time will show only one thing about the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence (attached to the letter) – its only purpose is to maintain integrity of political, economic and security systems and to strengthen resilience of Georgia in face of threats,” he argued.

Georgians understand that this is a historic moment, It’s not about ‘transparency’ or thwarting ‘foreign influence’: the Georgian Dream-led parliament is making a choice between a future in Europe or Russia.

“We are physically witnessing, literally witnessing, how Georgian citizens, how members of the Georgian Parliament are selling out our country,” said another protester, Mariam Geguchadze.

Georgia’s opposition parties and their representatives are now uniting under the leadership of the president Salomè Zourabichvili. She is proposing a Georgian Charter, and asking opposition parties to set aside their differences and unite in the face of this emergency:

“I present the "Georgian Charter" action plan! To rebuild trust, we need a new political reality: a distinct unity, different elections, a different parliament, and a different government!”

The Georgian Dream party, their information machine, and proxies in the West, will try to divide and subvert the oppostion as well as democratic partners in the West. In the past few weeks, they have put out a variety of conspiracy theories to smear the US and other European states, and to divert attention from the real architects of Georgia’s unwanted path towards Russia and its strategic goals.

Olga and I had a chat with Eto Buziashvili, which will be released on Thursday covering all the issues around the Foreign Agents’ Bill and what Georgian Dream is really up to. She also mentioned grave repercussions that go far beyond Georgia’s borders:

Moldova is one concern, but another development portends a geostrategic win for authoritarian power in Central-Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region.

Besides the Foreign Agents’ Bill, Georgia took a step closer to China today. As MPs were discussing the president’s veto in parliament, Georgian Dream’s official Facebook page posted hailing the beginning of visa-free travel to China. 

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the visa liberalisation agreement in in late February, with Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili stating that China would instate the visa-free regime ‘in a matter of days’.

Georgian–Chinese relations have been steadily warming in recent years, with Tbilisi courting Chinese investment in several Georgian projects, including the troubled Anaklia Deep Sea Port project.

A definitive realignment of Georgia’s foreign policy, along the lines of Serbia and Hungary’s weaponised interdependent relationship with China and Russia, can only lead to Georgia becoming a client state to these authoritarian powers, and this spells trouble for NATO and Western partners.

For the time being, there is considerable trade between Georgia and Russia, as Georgia serves as a hub for Russian emigrés bringing investment capital with them among other things. But it will be only a question of time before the Chinese are successful in penetrating strategic telecommunications and transportation infrastructure in Georgia. China is eager to extend its influence and footprint in the Caucasus as a bridge to Central Europe.

Our hope is that Georgia does get to elections in October 2024, and that they can vote out the Georgian Dream and their allies. For the moment, this is the battle they are facing.

E-Stories will be following our partners in Georgia every step of the way. More to come.