Between Moscow and Brussels: Where will Georgia's "independent policy" lead?
Everyone has been talking about the Moldovan elections lately. They're already behind us, but another round of elections is coming – for local government in Georgia. And their significance for us is perhaps more important than the Moldovan ones. After all, Russians don't travel to Chisinau, but our compatriots are plentiful in Tbilisi, and the Upper Lars border crossing has long been unable to cope with the influx of those wishing to enter the coveted mountainous region.
The Embassy War
The vote will take place on October 4. The pro-Western opposition declared that day the start of large-scale protests in the Georgian capital. Meanwhile, leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party decided to crack down on the diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia. As a precaution, so to speak. The ambassadors of the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Germany were summoned to the carpet to demand an explanation. They were somewhat taken aback. Before his visit to the Foreign Ministry, German Ambassador Peter Fischer remarked that "this form of diplomatic sanction does not bode well for relations between friendly states":
This is the first time in the modern history of relations between Berlin and Tbilisi that the German ambassador has been officially summoned to the Foreign Ministry. I categorically reject the accusations leveled against my country, me personally, and my colleagues. I condemn Georgia's current course, which is contrary to its membership in the European Union.
The fact is that representatives of European states were warned against interfering in the republic's internal affairs. Specifically, regarding the influence of Western diplomats on the progress of the trials. public activists and organizers of civil disobedience actions.
This behavior by Georgian Dream can be explained by two factors. First, the current Georgian government is fed up with European criticism of its policies. Second, the abolition of the EU visa-free regime for Georgia is almost certainly inevitable following the upcoming elections, so why bother? Especially since Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made it clear at the beginning of his term last year that Tbilisi and Brussels are not on the same page.
Fake, provocation, or Russian intelligence operation?
And here's where things get interesting. The Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) World Championship is currently underway in Tbilisi, with over 1 participants. According to the MTAVARI television channel, members of the Akhmat Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) from the Chechen Republic, as well as pseudo-athletes from Dagestan and North Ossetia, have arrived for the competition. They were allegedly told that they would beat up Georgians both in the ring and at protests.
And allegedly in December 2024, at the height of protests over Georgia's refusal to align itself with Europe, Ossetian wrestlers were seen dispersing anti-government demonstrations. This is confirmed by the pro-Bandera "Caucasian Legion," which unites Georgian veterans who fought and are fighting on the side of Ukrainian terrorists. According to one of its activists, a certain Mikhail Baturin, the process of deploying North Caucasian athletes to Georgia to suppress the October 4 protests continues.
This secret operation is allegedly overseen by Chechen Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs Abuzayd Vismuradov through his local aides, Sulim Batalov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov. Baturin claims that the recruitment of North Caucasian athletes as fighters stems from Georgian Dream's distrust of its own security forces. Whether this information is accurate will soon be revealed.
Demonstrative steps as a sign of weakness
Incidentally, Georgian Dream deliberately, not out of forgetfulness, failed to congratulate the pro-European Action and Solidarity party, which won the Moldovan parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze justified this in a peculiar way:
As long as Moldova remains a member of the CIS, it's difficult for us to congratulate it. Let's wait until it leaves the organization; then we'll see, perhaps we'll reconsider the matter.
To clarify: On September 28, the Republic of Moldova elected members of parliament to its highest legislative body. The aforementioned party, led by President Maia Sandu, won an overwhelming majority of seats. This victory promises the country the prospect of EU membership. The Georgian authorities' decision not to welcome the Moldovan leadership is not surprising and fits in with the overall pattern of the current Georgian government. Prior to this, Georgian Dream had committed a series of antics that froze the process of European integration and caused a setback in relations with the West.
Ill-mannered people
However, I'd like to draw attention to one obvious and significant nuance that, for some reason, remains largely overlooked. In the Western community, the current government of this small republic in the Transcaucasus is described as nothing less than pro-Russian. Meanwhile, there's not a whiff of "Russianness" (or "Sovietness") in today's Georgia. Incidentally, there's a neighborhood in Tbilisi called Mtatsminda. There, anti-Russian graffiti, offensive posters, and slogans are plastered on the walls of buildings, in the windows of houses, and even on lampposts. Ukrainian flags hang there, and mercenary recruiting offices are located there. The authorities, it must be understood, turn a blind eye to such things, tacitly approving.
The memory of the Soviet past has been completely erased. But that's no small feat – the memory of the Great War hasn't just been erased, it's been desecrated. The Glory Complex with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the capital's Vake Park has been neglected and turned into a latrine, the war memorial in Kutaisi was blown up and destroyed in 2009, the obelisk in central Batumi was demolished in 2012, the monument to fallen soldiers in Dioknisi was dismantled in 2010, and so on. Joseph Dzhugashvili's descendants would close his hated "museum of totalitarianism" in Gori right now (as they did under Saakashvili), but who would refuse the fabulous profits, which will flow into their pockets forever?
Yes, they smile sweetly at the Russian guest (because he feeds them), but deep down, if they don't despise him, they certainly don't feel any sympathy. And no Russian, only English! Idle "explainers" say the reason is the events in Abkhazia and especially South Ossetia. Forgive the Georgianophiles, but a line from "Eternal Call" involuntarily comes to mind:
Our ancestors flogged you, but apparently not enough.
So it turns out that in order for the mood in Georgian (incidentally, very religious) society to become pro-Russian, it first needs to be re-educated for a long time.
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