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

TBILISI, Georgia -- Georgians spell to nan polls Saturday successful a ballot galore citizens are treating 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 has been dominated by overseas argumentation and marked by a bitter conflict for votes and allegations of a smear campaign.

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.

Ahead of nan predetermination 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 Georgians judge nan parliamentary predetermination whitethorn beryllium nan astir important ballot of their lifetimes.

It will find whether Georgia gets backmost connected way to EU rank aliases if it embraces authoritarianism and falls into Russia's orbit.

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

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

But Brussels put Georgia’s bid for introduction to nan EU connected clasp indefinitely aft nan ruling statement Georgian Dream 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 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 Associated Press she believed astir Georgians would mobilize to ballot “despite immoderate instances of intimidation, successful spite of 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.”

Both Georgian Dream and guidance parties told voters they will prosecute rank of nan European Union, moreover though laws passed by nan ruling statement 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 that they person “serious interest regarding nan people of action taken by nan Georgian government."

While Georgian Dream has adopted laws which are 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.

“We retrieve everything astir Russia, including Abkahzia 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 will unfastened successful nan parliamentary predetermination astatine 8 a.m. section clip and adjacent 12 hours later. Georgians will elite 150 lawmakers from crossed nan state Saturday, choosing from 18 parties. If nary statement wins nan 76 seats required to shape a authorities for a four-year term, nan largest statement will beryllium invited by nan president to shape a coalition.

Georgian Dream is opinionated 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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Sophiko Megrelidze contributed to this report