Civic IDEA’s Chairperson, Tinatin Khidasheli, participated in an expert panel titled “Georgia’s Elections: Between Authoritarianism and Democratic Renewal” at Forum 2000 in Prague. Alongside Vasil Sikharulidze (Atlantic Council of Georgia) and Rostislav Valvoda (Prague Civil Society Centre), the panel explored the critical stakes in Georgia’s upcoming elections.
In less than two weeks, Georgians will head to the polls in decisive elections, likely to determine whether the country turns towards closer ties with the West or falls further under Russia’s influence
Georgia’s upcoming elections in late October are pivotal. The victory of the ruling party could severely limit the country’s aspirations for EU and NATO membership. The stakes are high, and a strong, well-informed monitoring mission is essential to assess the fairness of the election process. While Russian interference is highly probable, this election may also mark the first time we see significant involvement from the PRC, given its growing interests in the region. What are the latest developments and challenges? What is the situation in the ranks of Georgia’s pro-Western forces? What can we expect if the ruling party prevails in the polls? These were the questions that were discussed during the panel.
“There is a great share of the Georgian public wanting a change from the current policies that are indeed taking a Russian direction,” noted the Prague Civil Society Centre’s Executive Director, Rostislav Valvoda, during the panel.
