Georgia, one of the fault-line post-Soviet states caught between the West and Russia, is on a fast-track to dictatorship and subjugation by Moscow, The Telegraph writes.
As noted, the Putin-friendly Georgian Dream (GD) Party “triumphed” in this weekend’s parliamentary elections, with 53.93% of the popular vote.
Transparency International Georgia produced more than 360 photographs and video recordings documenting electoral violation.
“If the West does not take a unified stance against the GD’s human rights abuses, Georgia risks sliding more firmly into Russia’s clutches. With Belarus and Georgia in its orbit, an emboldened Moscow would strengthen anti-democratic actors in Moldova and use coercion to bully Armenia. The West must set a redline against the GD’s abuse of power and Russia’s subversion of Georgian democracy. Not just for Georgia’s sake but in the interests of European security,” the newspaper writes.
