Georgia’s incumbent president will not stand down almost a yr after disputed election

The nation of Georgia is now a “weak Democracy” following final yr’s parliamentary elections that noticed a pro-Russian celebration win a majority of seats and not stands for the pro-Western future the small Caucasus area has fought so laborious for since independence greater than 30 years in the past, says incumbent Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili.

“None of the institutions today that exist in Georgia are independent in the sense that they are all dependent on one party, which itself is dependent on one man … probably very linked to Russia,” she advised Morning Version in an interview throughout a visit to Washington D.C. She was within the U.S. capital to garner Congressional help to place stress on the ruling celebration, together with addressing the Helsinki Fee on Sept. 10.

On Oct. 26, 2024 — following a vote fraught with experiences of rampant voter fraud, intimidation and violence — the anti-Western, pro-Russian Georgian Dream Celebration secured 89 out of 150 seats within the Georgian parliament. Moscow denies any involvement.

After the outcomes have been introduced, tons of of 1000’s of demonstrators took the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, demanding the outcomes be annulled – and greater than 300 days later, demonstrations proceed. 

The day after the election, Zourabichvili, who was elected in 2018 as an unbiased, mentioned the vote a “a total falsification” and that Georgia had fallen sufferer to a “Russia special operation.”

She refused to step down from workplace and to at the present time stays the “legitimate [president] in the eyes of the people,” she says. Zourabichvili says she carries along with her the accountability to additional Georgia’s pro-Western objectives similar to becoming a member of the European Union and NATO – aspirations the ruling Georgian Dream celebration has suspended since taking workplace, together with different insurance policies the EU has deemed as “democratic backsliding.”

A part of the united states till its independence in 1991, Georgia has a fancy relationship with Russia. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia and the 2 fought a warfare that lasted solely simply over two weeks. Russia nonetheless occupies 20% of Georgia’s territory.

However whereas the USA, together with the European Union, doesn’t formally acknowledge Georgia’s present authorities and nonetheless publicly helps Georgia’s sovereignty, Zourabichvili says extra could be finished. She additionally notes that the playbook Moscow has utilized in Georgia – meddling in its elections and turning its authorities right into a proxy – is one Russia has been testing out throughout the area to realize affect.

“They have tried it in Romania … Moldova is a [another] test case,” she says. “It could be Ukraine after a ceasefire, where [Russia] would probably push for elections.”

Talking to NPR’s Leila Fadel, Zourabichvili laid out why the U.S. ought to care about her nation’s destiny.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

Interview highlights

Leila Fadel: Georgia Dream is a celebration that endorsed you in 2018.

Salome Zourabichvili: Not solely endorsed, [it] launched within the Structure, the Euro-Atlantic integration.

Fadel: So, they have been additionally going through in direction of Europe and in direction of the West.

Zourabichvili: Fully at the start.

Fadel: So what occurred? Is there a second you could level to or that you simply began to see a shift? A democratic backsliding start?

Zourabichvili: Properly, you may level to completely different phases, in fact, and the query is at all times, is that this one thing that we did not see and we may have stopped earlier? Clearly, when the justice reform was stopped was one time limit, in [20]21. However the actual shift, I’d say, is available in 2022. It comes with the Ukrainian warfare, it comes with the siding with Russia, it comes with not siding with our Western companions for the sanctions. And it comes with very harsh speeches coming from Mr. [Bidzina] Ivanishvili himself, the chief of the Georgian Dream, towards our Western companions accusing them of desirous to wage a warfare from Georgia in direction of Russia.

Fadel: How do you see your position on this second? You continue to name your self the president of Georgia. You do not acknowledge this election.

Zourabichvili: I am professional within the eyes of the individuals, however I am there for 2 essential causes. One is that I characterize the individuals and their will to proceed on the street for the reason that independence and that was very clearly pro-Western. I characterize one other very sturdy will of the Georgian individuals, which is to see their opposition united.

Fadel: That is actually the one of many criticisms concerning the opposition is that it is fragmented and due to this fact not efficient. So your objective is to vary that?

Zourabichvili: My objective is to, every single day, attempt to change that. I feel that we’re making some progress and it is clearly the need of the individuals.

Fadel: Past why that is essential to clearly Georgian individuals and their futures. Why does it matter to the West past Georgia’s borders?

Zourabichvili: To start with, Georgia is a spot the place each the USA and the European Union have invested massively in setting up an unbiased state. However furthermore, if that engagement was there, it was as a result of there was an curiosity, a strategic curiosity on this area, which is one that’s important for connection between West Europe and Central Asia, between the 2 seas. What Russians know very effectively and have recognized for hundreds of years is that whoever holds Georgia holds the Caucasus.

And one other curiosity, I’d say, is that there are such a lot of efforts dedicated to help Ukraine and keep away from that Ukraine falls into the palms militarily of Russia. Russia didn’t achieve greater than 3 1/2 years, however now it is succeeding in Georgia in a way more silent method with [a] proxy authorities. They’re succeeding to do precisely that.

Fadel: There are lots of parallels, proper? A partial occupation of land…

Zourabichvili: Sure. However they’re recognizing, I feel, internally, not outdoors, that this navy all-out aggression coverage may be very pricey to Russia and never very efficient – they usually’re testing in Georgia another coverage. Rigged elections, a proxy authorities, rising affect economically and likewise financially. All of that’s one thing that could possibly be a brand new mannequin for Russia to increase its affect.

This digital article was edited by Obed Manuel. The printed model of this interview was produced by Ana Perez and edited by Ashley Westerman.