The recent Georgian vote brings back memories of Ukraineʼs pro-democracy push twenty years ago: when Viktor Yanukovych tried to take control thru unfair elections. Back then Colin Powell made it clear - US wouldnt accept fake results
International watch-dogs pointed out many problems with last saturdays parliamentary elections in Georgia: voters faced pressure and the whole process didnt meet basic standards. The ruling party (Georgian Dream) claims they won but Salome Zourabichvili the president said something different
I want to say‚ as the [representative of the] only independent institution‚ that I donʼt recognize these elections
The situation looks bad - Bidzina Ivanishvili (the party leader) and his team have been running things since 12ʼ; taking over courts parliament and other key spots. Last spring he made weird claims that opposition groups wanted to start war with Russia; and in aug he threatened to ban them completely
- They tried to kick out the president twice
- They pushed thru a foreign-agents law (just like Russia has)
- They shut down peaceful street protests
- They went after watch-dog groups
The West tried to help: EU stopped Georgiaʼs membership process and US froze 95-mil in aid but it wasnt enough. Now Irakli Kobakhidze the prime-minister says theyʼll make new government without opposition - who are planning big protests in Tbilisi starting oct-28
US and Europe need to step up now; maybe with harder sanctions against top officials. Georgian people want to join NATO and EU - they deserve better than this mess. Washington should follow what happened in Ukraine back then: dont accept fake results and support real democracy