"The West has no interest in peace and mutual understanding in Georgia" Expert insights

In Tbilisi, a new protest was held in front of the Georgian parliament, calling for the so-called "European future" and protesting the results of the parliamentary elections. The rally was attended by members of parliament from eight EU countries — including the Baltic states, as well as Finland, France, Germany, Poland, and Sweden — who arrived in Tbilisi after the elections on October 26. They urged the crowd to believe that Georgia's future lies in Europe, presenting this as the true "Georgian dream."

What do Georgian experts and political analysts think about the situation? Caliber.Az reached out to them for their views.

According to analyst Arkadi Nozadze, the arrival of European parliamentarians in Tbilisi serves as further proof that Europe is unwilling to accept Georgia's political course.

"It's hard to say exactly how to characterize all of this — whether it's theatre or a political farce, but one thing is clear: all the statements from European politicians about the West supporting Georgia's free choice and accepting it unconditionally turned out to be a bluff. The West is clearly determined to test the strength of Georgia's political system, even after the elections. How else can we explain what's happening now in the streets of Tbilisi? What is especially concerning is the West's persistence — the attempts by European politicians to stoke the spirit of protests in the country. They are literally provoking us into revolutionary actions, even though Georgians, who believe in their choice and elected government, thankfully are not falling for these provocations.

The absurdity of the situation lies in the fact that the elections have already taken place, and society has accepted their results. The elections were held in a calm and democratic atmosphere, as confirmed by many international observers. So, what's the issue? Clearly, the West is intent on destabilizing the situation in the country, which is why such a large delegation of European parliamentarians has been sent here."

"What is concerning is that the Georgian opposition itself has completely proven its inability to unite politically, find consensus, or develop a common stance. The passivity of the Georgian opposition is evident, as its rallies gather only a very small number of dissatisfied individuals with the current government and the election results. However, this is of no concern to Georgia's European 'benefactors.' Moreover, I would note that this European delegation has been sent here specifically to ignite the spark of protest in Georgia, because the Georgian opposition, as they can see, is completely incapable of doing so. The Georgian opposition is extremely weak and does not enjoy the trust of society, yet Europe does not lose hope of encouraging its ranks. Therefore, in this situation, I believe the authorities should demand that this loud, foolish brigade of European politicians stop meddling and leave Georgia," emphasized Nozadze.

According to political science candidate Teimuraz Garishvili, Europe risks completely ruining its relationship with Georgian society and the government if it continues to foster protest sentiments in the country.

"Those who, before the elections, still had some faith in European ideals, the honour and conscience of Western politicians, are now witnessing firsthand that the West is completely uninterested in the opinion of the Georgian people. Watching European politicians shout in Tbilisi, at protest rallies, calls against the legitimately elected government of the country, many are beginning to understand that the West has no interest in the peace and mutual understanding that exists in most of Georgian society. Judging by the calls made at these rallies, it’s clear that they are pushing for something that is beyond the rule of law. It’s hard to understand why European politicians haven't realized the main issue — that European values, traditions, and morals are not at all close to Georgia. The problem lies in this, not, as the West believes, in the lack of democracy in Georgia or the unwillingness of Georgians to actively criticize the Georgian Dream. For some reason, the West believes this should be the case," concluded Garishvili.