Russia slams 'Western interference' ahead of key Georgia vote; all you need to know

Russia has accused the West of interfering with the parliamentary elections in Georgia adding that it is “not influencing Georgian affairs.”

Georgia is all set to hold the crucial elections on Saturday which will prove as a key test for the country’s democracy and its future prospects in the European landscape.

“We are seeing absolutely unprecedented attempts at Western interference. They are not only trying to twist Tbilisi’s hand, they are attempting to dictate terms,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Critics accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of moving Tbilisi closer to Moscow amid Russia’s military offensive on Ukraine.

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The Georgian elections will essentially be a battle between the Opposition and the ruling party Georgian Dream, The opposition parties are more sympathetic to the West and aspire to democratise the country based on their principles while the ruling party has a proven track record of avoiding democratic doctrine and leaning towards Russia.

Opinion polls indicate opposition parties could get enough votes to form a coalition government to supplant the ruling Georgian Dream party, controlled by powerful billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

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On the other hand, the current government says it wants to win a supermajority in parliament to allow it to pass a constitutional ban on the pro-Western opposition.

A win for the Opposition would break the Georgian Dream’s juggernaut as it has been in power since 2012.

Georgia will vote under tumultuous circumstances as the country faces its worst periods of largely undemocratic rule following Russia’s footsteps. Georgian Dream’s rule saw the implementation of controversial laws through which it was able to prevent the growth of foreign influence.

Among the key Opposition parties contesting the elections are, Unity to Save Georgia, Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia and For Georgia. Smaller parties have come together to form these coalitions hoping to challenge the ruling party.

Nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, Georgia was once considered a rare example of a democracy among ex-Soviet nations.

But elections in the country of some four million regularly spark mass protests.

With inputs from agencies