Georgia’s pro-Western president is urging her citizens to protest the disputed outcome of recent elections, which she views as a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Georgia shares a border with Russia.
“As the last independent institution, I cannot recognize these elections – it would legitimize Russia’s takeover of Georgia. Our ancestors endured too much for us to surrender our European future,” Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili stated on X.
The results are a major setback for a country striving to join the European Union and strengthen its ties with the West. The opposition’s loss could derail Georgia’s EU aspirations and place it under Russia’s influence.
“The election result is a win for Putin, whose goal since he became president of Russia in 1999, has always been to reintegrate former Soviet states back under Russia’s control,” Rebekah Koffler, former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, told Digital.
Koffler added, “Did the Russian intelligence services – the GRU and the FSB – have a hand in swaying the election? While there’s no evidence at this time that votes have been manipulated and changed after being cast, influence operations targeting presidential elections is standard for Putin’s playbook. But the way it’s done is through financing, intimidation and agitation. And it’s extremely hard to identify, track and make conclusive analysis about such activities.”
The U.S. supports Georgia’s pro-European president and those seeking to reduce Russian influence.
Secretary of State expressed concern over reports of irregularities and sporadic violence, noting that international observers have not declared the results to be free and fair.
“We condemn all contraventions of international norms and join calls from international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations,” Blinken stated.
“This is a precarious moment for Georgia. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, must recognize that its actions could have immediate consequences on its economic and security agenda. Russia has also undoubtedly benefitted from sowing division and disinformation, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., ranking member of the committee, said in a joint statement.
“We recognize the right of the Georgian people to, if they so choose, protest peacefully and call on the relevant Georgian authorities to respect this deeply important democratic right,” the senators said.
Georgian Dream, the Russian-backed party, claimed victory shortly after polls closed on Saturday, securing around 54% of the vote. The united opposition garnered only 38%. The ruling party even received support from , who sent congratulations to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the Georgian Dream party before the election results were even released. Orban visited Tbilisi and provided further legitimacy to the government’s disputed victory.
Many opposition figures reject Georgian Dream’s claimed victory, alleging the election was stolen and rigged.
The Georgian president and numerous Western observers confirmed that the election results were marred by irregularities, including fraud and ballot stuffing.
The election was “marked by a tense environment and several incidents of physical altercations and widespread intimidation of voters,” the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), noted in a statement. European Council President Charles Michel is calling for an investigation into the alleged irregularities.
Some Georgians, angered by the results, have taken to the streets to express opposition, and planned protests are occurring outside the parliament. If mass protests erupt as the president and others have called for, and are met with violence from security forces, tensions could escalate further.
Many Georgians strongly desire to join the EU, with polls indicating up to 83% support such a move. The Georgian Dream Party has stalled Georgia’s EU accession efforts since it became a candidate member in 2023. The EU subsequently placed Georgia’s process on hold after a that required citizens, non-governmental organizations, media outlets and other civil society organizations that receive over 20% in funding from abroad to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Ministry.
Following the enactment of the pro-Kremlin foreign agent law, the U.S. imposed sanctions and travel bans on Georgian officials who voted for the law and security agencies responsible for suppressing dissent. The State Department also suspended $95 million in assistance to the government.