“Kremlin is depriving Georgia and Armenia of European future” – Armenian expert
Armenian expert on elections in Georgia
The parliamentary elections in Georgia will take place on October 26. International relations expert Giorgi Tumasyan, an ethnic Armenian residing in Georgia, gave an interview to one of the Armenian TV channels. He stated that Moscow is supporting Georgia’s ruling party in these elections:
“The Kremlin is preparing to back its representatives, oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili and his political team. And it’s clear what the objective is. Through Ivanishvili, the Kremlin is attempting to decide the European future of two countries – Armenia and Georgia.”
Giorgi Tumasyan’s opinion on the parliamentary elections in Georgia and the potential consequences of a pro-Russian victory for Armenia.
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Giorgi Tumasyan’s Commentary
The Georgian government on the path to authoritarianism
“The current government in Georgia is openly pro-Russian, anti-European, and anti-Western. Russia and Turkey are actively supporting their election campaign. Azerbaijan’s propaganda machine is very active these days, and like the Georgian authorities, they are targeting the so-called ‘global war’ party and Georgia’s pro-Western president.
Georgia has entered into an alliance with the Turkish-Russian architecture. The country’s current leadership is on the path toward authoritarianism.
In a country moving toward authoritarianism, it is neither surprising nor coincidental that ethnic and religious discrimination also manifests itself. The authorities have already begun employing chauvinism and fostering hostility towards Armenians.”
Discrimination against Armenians supported by Azerbaijan
“In recent years, discrimination against Armenians in Georgia has emerged, fueled by Azerbaijan. We are witnessing connections between representatives of both the current and former Georgian governments with Azerbaijan, particularly through SOCAR, either directly or indirectly.
Discrimination against Armenians has never officially been part of state policy here, at least not openly. But now, this factor is being used by the authorities.
What happened with Mamuka Khazaradze is not the first case. But this is open propaganda, where an anti-Armenian narrative is blatantly employed.”
On October 11, a journalist from the pro-government channel POSTV asked the leader of the Georgian opposition party “Lelo” and the “Strong Georgia” coalition, Mamuka Khazaradze, “why he is hiding his Armenian heritage.” The TV company released a video titled “Khazaradze’s Armenian Shalakho,” which also included an interview with a resident of Yerevan who claimed to be Khazaradze’s relative. The politician himself described this as an anti-Armenian campaign that has been waged against him for several years.
“Ivanishvili’s propaganda and his henchmen from the Russian KGB have crossed all boundaries. The latest defamatory campaign has not only affected me but also our brotherly Armenian people. I apologize to them for the unethical attacks from ‘Georgian Dream.’ If any of my ancestors were Armenian or members of other brotherly nations, I would openly and proudly declare it. Those who are ashamed of their heritage are xenophobes,” stated the opposition leader.
Anti-Western policies of Georgia – a threat to Armenia
“Due to the anti-Western policies of the Georgian authorities, Armenia’s European integration is becoming increasingly difficult.
Armenia has only one route for connecting to Europe, and that is through Georgia. Armenia’s other two borders – with Azerbaijan and Turkey – are closed. This says it all.
And of course, the fact that in his latest interview, Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan mentioned ongoing issues with arms supplies to Armenia, I suspect this is related to the supply routes through Georgian territory. This problem will likely escalate further if Georgia continues to be led by a pro-Russian government.”
Tbilisi violated the partnership declaration signed with Yerevan
“Georgia violated the strategic partnership document signed with Armenia. Why? Because it clearly states that the parties share European values. On April 5, Armenia’s Prime Minister traveled to Brussels for a trilateral meeting [with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken], and Yerevan began taking practical steps towards the West. Yet, on April 25, Ivanishvili made a speech declaring that the EU and the U.S. are part of the ‘global war party.’
The signing of this document was only beneficial to Armenia if the foreign policies of Armenia and Georgia were aligned. If the value systems do not match, strategic partnership cannot be developed.”
The Kremlin expects election fraud in Georgia
“We expect the government to receive 30% of the votes. This is indicated by public opinion polls.
At the same time, the Kremlin is preparing for election fraud in Georgia. President Zurabishvili mentioned this in an interview with the Financial Times.
The Georgian authorities are using administrative resources. There are facts that suggest they are preparing mechanisms for election fraud, against which democratic methods may not work.
It is clear that if the elections are rigged, they will not be recognized by the international community. There will be demonstrations in Georgia, demands for the government’s resignation, and other internal political processes.
We expect the people of Georgia to stand up for the forces they have chosen, to protect their votes, their state, and democracy.“
If the elections are Fair, the current government will not win
“I want to say that the current government will not win if the elections are fair and transparent. In the 2020 and 2016 elections, they received 48% of the vote. They were able to stay in power because Georgia had both proportional and majoritarian electoral systems. This increased their mandates in parliament.
Now, only the proportional electoral system is in place. And 48% is a dream for the ‘Georgian Dream’ party. Their ratings have dropped. They will gather around 25-30%, as there has been an illegal shift in foreign policy, from democracy to authoritarianism.
The people of Georgia understand that these elections are about the country’s path of development, not just which political force will lead it.
The European Union and the United States are trying to clearly communicate to Georgian citizens that if this government remains, Georgia will not only lose its candidate status for EU membership but also the support of the EU and the U.S. as a whole. Recently, the UK also announced the cessation of military cooperation and strategic dialogue with Georgia.”
The authorities are scaring people with war
“As a pro-Russian force, ‘Georgian Dream’ continues and develops Russian propaganda, claiming that the West has ‘opened a front’ against Russia. In reality, it’s the opposite. Russia is the one that has ‘opened a front’ in Ukraine against the West, against democracy. It’s also trying to extend its influence towards Moldova. Russia has already succeeded in strengthening its authoritarian regime in Belarus. Now, thanks to the oligarch Ivanishvili, it is attempting to do the same in Georgia. In Armenia, they had hoped for a coup led by Galstanyan [leader of the opposition movement], which, apparently, did not succeed.
The Georgian authorities are trying to instill fear in people by suggesting that if the opposition wins, there will be war. They are essentially threatening with this.
It’s worth noting that in the midst of the Geneva talks between Georgia and Russia, the Russian side made an unexpected, yet foreseeable statement, suggesting that tensions could rise on the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-South Ossetian borders.
In reality, this is a clear signal from Moscow to Tbilisi and the Georgian public that if Russia loses its grip on power in Georgia, there is a potential for conflict escalation in the direction of the occupied territories. Russia could even fire the first shot and then blame Georgia.”
The topic of Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s return is part of the propaganda
“Talks about this issue intensify during the election period to secure the necessary votes for the ruling authorities. These claims are initiated by the Georgian government, not Russia. Government officials are trying to suggest that they have allegedly reached an agreement with Russia and will be able to ‘return’ these territories.
Following these statements by the Georgian authorities, we heard from [Russian Foreign Minister] Lavrov, who said that Russia is ready to help three countries improve their relations. The propaganda machine of ‘Georgian Dream’ conveniently ignored the part of the statement mentioning the three states. Clearly, Russia is not offering the return of any territories; it’s just a topic for propaganda.
For Georgia, as a democratic country – unlike Azerbaijan – the goal is the return of people, not territories. The path to resolving the issue lies in European integration.
We envision that, with Brussels’ support, we can offer Abkhazians and Ossetians the opportunity to live in a European country where their rights will be protected.
But first, we must ensure the protection of the rights of the people of Georgia.”
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Armenian expert on elections in Georgia
