Georgia votes in an election that could take it toward the EU or into Russia’s orbit

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgians headed to nan polls Saturday successful a ballot galore citizens spot arsenic a make-or-break ballot connected nan opportunity to subordinate nan European Union.

The pre-election run successful nan South Caucasus federation of 3.7 cardinal group which borders Russia has been dominated by overseas argumentation and marked by a bitter conflict for votes and allegations of a smear campaign. It will find whether Georgia gets backmost connected way to EU rank aliases embraces authoritarianism and falls into Russia’s orbit.

Some Georgians complained of intimidation and being pressured to ballot for nan ruling party, Georgian Dream, while nan guidance accused nan statement of carrying retired a “hybrid war” against its citizens.

Demonstrators march during an guidance rally up upcoming adjacent week parliamentary predetermination successful Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

Ahead of nan parliamentary election, Bidzina Ivanishvili — a shadowy billionaire who group up Georgian Dream and made his luck successful Russia — vowed again to prohibition guidance parties should his statement win.

Georgian Dream will clasp guidance parties “fully accountable nether nan afloat unit of nan law” for “war crimes” committed against nan group of Georgia, Ivanishvili said astatine a pro-government rally successful nan superior Tbilisi Wednesday. He did not explicate what crimes he believes nan guidance has committed.

Many judge nan predetermination whitethorn beryllium nan astir important ballot since Georgia gained independency pursuing nan illness of nan Soviet Union successful 1991.

“It’s an existential election,” Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said.

Georgians want “European integration, want to move guardant and want policies which will bring america a better, much stable, future,” Qristine Tordia, 29, told The Associated Press soon aft voting successful nan capital, Tbilisi.

Around 80% of Georgians favour joining nan EU according to polls and nan country’s constitution obliges its leaders to prosecute rank successful that bloc and NATO.

Supporters of nan ruling Georgian Dream statement be a rally successful nan halfway of Tbilisi, Georgia, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)

But Brussels put Georgia’s bid for introduction to nan EU connected clasp indefinitely aft nan ruling statement passed a “Russian law” cracking down connected state of speech successful June. Many Georgians fearfulness nan statement is dragging nan state towards authoritarianism and sidesplitting disconnected hopes it could subordinate nan EU.

The predetermination is “not conscionable astir changing government, it is astir whether Georgia survives aliases not because Ivanishvili’s authorities intends Russia,” said Nika Gvaramia, leader of Coalition for Changes, an guidance group.

Ivanishvili, nan laminitis of Georgian Dream, voted Saturday greeting nether dense security. He did not respond erstwhile asked by nan AP if he wanted to shape an confederation pinch Russia.

He said nan predetermination is simply a prime betwixt a “government that will service you,” aliases “choosing agents of a overseas state which will fulfill nan requests of nan overseas state only.” Ivanishvili did not bespeak which state he was referring to but up of nan predetermination Ivanishvili and his officials claimed a “Global War Party” was seeking to power nan EU and nan U.S., widen nan conflict successful Ukraine, and unit Georgian Dream from power.

The ballot will spot Georgians elite 150 lawmakers from 18 parties. If nary statement wins nan 76 seats required to shape a authorities for a four-year term, nan president will induce nan largest statement to shape a coalition.

Demonstrators be an guidance rally up upcoming adjacent week parliamentary predetermination successful Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

The guidance parties person ignored Zourabichvili’s petition to merge into a azygous statement but person signed up to her “charter” to transportation retired nan reforms required by nan EU to join.

Zourabichvili told nan AP connected Thursday she believed astir Georgians would mobilize to ballot “despite immoderate instances of intimidation, contempt nan usage of authorities resources ... and nan usage of financial resources” by nan government.

Georgian Dream took retired advertisements crossed nan state contrasting black-and-white images of demolition successful Ukraine pinch colorful images of life successful Georgia alongside nan slogan, “Say nary to warfare — take peace.”

Supporters of nan ruling Georgian Dream statement be a rally successful nan halfway of Tbilisi, Georgia, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)

The governing and guidance parties told voters they would prosecute EU rank moreover though laws passed by Georgian Dream person put that dream connected hold.

“The EU decided to extremity Georgia’s integration process unilaterally,” said Vakhtang Asanidze, who said to AP astatine a pro-government rally successful Tbilisi. He said he saw nary logic why Georgia could not subordinate nan EU successful spite of nan laws.

At nan EU acme past week, EU leaders said they person “serious concerns regarding nan people of action taken by nan Georgian government.”

While Georgian Dream has adopted laws akin to those utilized by nan Kremlin to ace down connected its critics, voters astatine nan pro-government rally said they did not position nan predetermination arsenic a prime betwixt Russia aliases Europe.

Supporters of nan ruling Georgian Dream statement be a rally successful nan halfway of Tbilisi, Georgia, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)

“We retrieve everything astir Russia, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” said Latavra Dashniani astatine nan rally, referring to Russia’s business of 20% of Georgian territory aft nan 2 countries fought a short warfare successful 2008.

Voting for nan ruling party, she said, would guarantee Georgia enters Europe “with dignity,” alluding to its blimpish values, including guidance to authorities for LGBTQ+ people.

Polls opened successful nan parliamentary predetermination astatine 8 a.m. section clip and will adjacent 12 hours later.

Georgian Dream stands against 3 coalitions: nan Unity National Movement, nan Coalition for Changes Lelo, and Strong Georgia.

The Gakharia for Georgia party, group up by erstwhile premier curate Giorgi Gakharia, said it will not spell into an confederation pinch anyone but will support nan guidance to shape a government.

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Associated Press shaper Sophiko Megrelidze contributed to this report