Valeri Chechelashvili, Director of Geopolitical Studies at the Georgian Strategic Analysis Center, on Thursday issued a warning about Georgia’s future, outlining two possible outcomes, which he said included a pro-European trajectory if the opposition prevails in the upcoming, October elections, or a deepening slide into post-Soviet stagnation under the current ruling Georgian Dream.
Chechelashvili expressed concerns about the ruling party’s commitment to European integration, noting that while Georgian Dream promises EU membership, its rhetoric “increasingly distances” the country from the United States and other Western allies.
“Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s remarks about revising relations with the US raise serious concerns,” said Chechelashvili. “We rely heavily on US support, especially in crucial areas such as the non-recognition of occupied territories. These are dangerous political maneuvers, and if Georgian Dream retains power after October 26, using its administrative and financial influence, Georgia will transform into a different country altogether.”
Chechelashvili stressed that Georgia’s future hinged on the upcoming election. “Either we will be a truly pro-European country under an opposition-led government, or we will fall into the orbit of the Russian Federation, becoming another satellite in the post-Soviet space.”
Prime Minister Kobakhidze has recently criticized US sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department, calling them “frivolous” and hinting that they may be an attempt to influence the election outcome.
