Georgia is voting in an election that could push it towards the EU or into Russia’s orbit

TBILISI – Georgians go to the polls on Saturday to take part in a vote that many citizens treat as a decisive vote on the possibility of joining the European Union.

The election campaign in the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million people has been dominated by foreign policy and marked by a fierce scramble for votes and allegations of a smear campaign.

Some Georgians he complained about bullying and being forced to vote for the ruling Georgian Dream party while the opposition accuses the party of waging a “hybrid war” against its citizens.

Before Bidzin Ivanishvili’s election — mysterious billionaire who founded the Georgian Dream and made his fortune in Russia – again promised to ban opposition parties if his party wins.

Georgian Dream will hold opposition parties “fully accountable with the full force of the law” for “war crimes” committed against the Georgian people, Ivanishvili said Wednesday at a pro-government rally in the capital, Tbilisi. He did not explain what crimes he believed the opposition had committed.

Many Georgians believe that the parliamentary elections may be the most important vote of their lives.

It will decide whether Georgia will return to the path to EU membership or whether it will adopt authoritarianism and fall into Russia’s orbit.

“These are existential choices,” said Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili.

According to polls, about 80% of Georgians are in favor of joining the EU, and the country’s constitution obliges its leaders to pursue membership in this bloc and NATO.

However, Brussels has suspended Georgia’s bid to join the EU indefinitely after the ruling Georgian Dream party adopted “Russian law” violating freedom of speech in June. Many Georgians fear that the party is dragging the country into authoritarianism and killing hopes for EU membership.

Opposition parties ignored Zourabichvili’s request to unite into one party, but signed up to her “charter” to carry out the reforms required for EU membership.

Zourabichvili told the Associated Press that she believed most Georgians would be mobilized to vote “despite some instances of intimidation, despite the use of state resources … and the use of financial resources” by the government.

Georgian Dream sent out billboards across the country, contrasting black and white images of destruction in Ukraine with colorful images of life in Georgia and the slogan: “Say no to war – choose peace.”

Both Georgian Dream and opposition parties told voters they would seek European Union membership, even though laws passed by the ruling party dashed those hopes.

“The EU has decided to unilaterally stop Georgia’s integration process,” said Vakhtang Asanidze, who spoke to the AP at a pro-government rally in Tbilisi. He said he saw no reason why Georgia could not join the EU despite the regulations.

At an EU summit last week, EU leaders expressed “serious concerns about the direction of action taken by the Georgian government.”

Although Georgian Dream adopted laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on its critics, voters at the pro-government rally said they did not see the election as a choice between Russia and Europe.

“We remember everything about Russia, including Abkazia and South Ossetia,” Latawra Dashniani said at the rally, referring to Russia’s occupation of 20% of Georgia’s territory after the two countries’ brief war in 2008.

Voting for the ruling party, she said, would ensure Georgia’s entry into Europe “with dignity,” referring to its conservative values, including opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.

Polling stations for the parliamentary elections will open at 8:00 a.m. local time and close 12 hours later. On Saturday, Georgians will elect 150 deputies from all over the country, from among 18 parties. If no party wins the 76 seats necessary to form a government for a four-year term, the president will invite the largest party to form a coalition.

The Georgian Dream stands against three coalitions: the National Unity Movement, the Lelo Coalition for Change and Strong Georgia.

The Gakharia Party for Georgia, created by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, stated that it would not enter into an alliance with anyone, but would support the opposition in forming a government.

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Sophiko Megrelidze contributed to this report