28 October 2024

President Salome Zourabichvili has called on Georgians to protest against the country’s recent elections, after widespread reports of electoral fraud. Leaders from across Central Europe – like Radosław Sikorski – have called on the EU to stand with Tbilisi. Who is the odd one out? Viktor Orbán celebrates his pro-Russian, Georgian dream results.

Upcoming on Visegrad Insight:

EVENT: State of Georgia – Join us on 29 October at 3 PM CET for an online discussion on the results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections. Click here to register
Goran Buldioski and Wojciech Przybylski break down how pro-democracy leaders need to reshape European military policy.
Matej Šimalčík analyses how Robert Fico’s resistance to EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles may backfire, undermining Slovakia’s long-term interests.
Adrian Mihaltianu looks into the future of the relationship between Brussels and Washington, a week before the elections.
Albín Sybera and Miles Maftean write about how Czech lottery tycoons are expanding Kremlin-linked media in Poland.
Roch Dunin-Wąsowicz gives part 2 of his series on how businesses in CE can best utilise the EU’s Ukraine Facility.

Pro-Russian government rigs Georgian elections – while pro-Russian leaders vote against EU motions

GLOBAL/REGIONAL

President Salome Zourabichvili called for Georgians to take to the streets on 28 October and protest the ‘total falsification’ of election results last weekend.
The electoral commission announced on 27 October that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party had secured 54% of the vote, winning 89 seats – one fewer than in 2020.
There have been numerous reports of election fraud, however, including videos appearing to show ballot stuffing and voter intimidation at polling stations. Leaks from Russian intelligence also reveal Putin’s intention to falsify the election results.
‘This was a total stealing of votes, using all the tricks that can be used to falsify elections, and on top of that – the use of modern technologies to whitewash the elections,’ Zourabichvili added.
Many Western officials have expressed concern over such reports. Polish FM Radosław Sikorski called on Europe to ‘stand with the Georgian people’; Estonian FM Margus Tsakhna said ‘Nobody has the right to steal Georgia’s European future’. In contrast, pro-Russian leaders in Europe – like Viktor Orbán – were quick to back GD.
Can countries like Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine fight through Russian influence?

The European People‘s Party (EPP) backed amendments proposed by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a vote on the EU‘s 2025 budget on 23 October – calling for EU money to go on border security and return hubs for deporting migrants.
In doing so, the EPP tore up a deal it had made with its traditional centrist allies, as the AfD celebrated ‘demolishing’ the EU Parliament’s (EP) anti-far-right firewall.
Why have (young) voters turned from Green to Brown?

Also on 23 October, the EU Council (EUCO) adopted a financial assistance package to Ukraine, including a loan of up to €35 billion and a loan cooperation mechanism that will support Kyiv in repaying loans provided by the EU and G7.
Overall, 518 MEPs voted in favour; 56 against; 61 abstained; and 84 didn’t vote.
Only 9 of 21 Hungarian MEPs voted while a significant number of MEPs from Slovakia, Czechia, Bulgaria, Austria and Greece voted against the package.

On 24 October, EU lawmakers urged China to cease its ‘continued military operations,’ ‘economic coercion’ and ‘hostile disinformation’ against Taiwan.
The remarkably strongly worded document passed with 432 votes in favour, 60 against and 71 abstentions, denouncing Beijing for its ‘attempts to distort history and international rules’ – specifically UN Resolution 2758 – to justify its territorial claims.
As expected, Beijing reacted angrily by warning that ‘the Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty’ and ‘it is a red line that must not be crossed.’

UN Secretary-General António Guterres came under fire for meeting with Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan last week.
Marking United Nations Day in his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the organisation’s charter and emphasised the importance of adhering to its principles ‘even though some of its officials may choose the temptations of Kazan’ – Lithuanian FM Gabrielius Landsbergis was less diplomatic.
This was despite clear indications from Putin that Russia will continue its violent westward advancement and foreign interference whatever the human or economic costs may be – and whatever may be written in the Kazan Declaration.

Answers written by aspiring EU commissioners as part of their screening process were published last week and offer a glimpse into plans for their roles:

- Kaja Kallas – will offer a break from current EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s diplomacy and bring a ‘more strategic’ EU approach. This means strengthening the EU’s security and defence against ‘Russia’s imperialistic dream’ and war against Ukraine. She says the US ‘will remain the EU’s most consequential partner and ally’ (despite concerns about the outcome of November’s presidential elections).
- Piotr Serafin – will look to create ‘fewer, more focused programmes, and a plan for each country linking key reforms with investment targeted to where EU action is most needed.’ He cites ‘defence and security, sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, and democracy and social fairness’ as the common goals that the budget should support.

Growing 21st-century risks, particularly from Russia and China, mean that now is the time for an EU intelligence body – according to a draft report commissioned by President Ursula von der Leyen, which could be released as early as this week.