In Georgia’s Election, Local Concerns Trump EU Dreams for Some

While tens of thousands of Georgians rallied in Tbilisi in support of EU membership ahead of Saturday’s parliamentary elections, in the remote mountainous region of Javakheti, concerns are closer to home. For sheep farmer Vahan Agayan, stability and local leadership trump aspirations of joining the European Union, The Associated Press reports.

Agayan, living in a region 135 kilometers west of the capital, says he and his wife will vote as instructed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. He prioritizes the party’s local representatives, believing they hold the power to help struggling farmers like himself.

“Most people” will vote for the regional lawmaker from Georgian Dream, he says.

For many Georgians, this election is seen as a pivotal moment, a vote on the country’s future within the European Union. The ruling Georgian Dream party faces a coalition of opposition parties, each vying for a chance to steer Georgia towards EU membership.

However, Brussels put Georgia’s bid for EU entry on hold indefinitely following the passage of a controversial “foreign influence law” by Georgian Dream in July. The law, modeled after similar legislation in Russia, mandates that media outlets, NGOs, and other non-profit groups register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.

Georgian Dream argues the law is necessary to counter harmful foreign actors.