新湖畔网 （随信APP) | 格鲁吉亚执政党在关键选举前举行大规模集会

在关键选举前夕，格鲁吉亚执政党于周三举行了最后一次竞选集会，对阵一个指责政府越来越专制的亲西方反对派联盟。

周六的议会选举被视为欧盟候选国格鲁吉亚民主和长期欧洲志向的重要考验。

执政的乔治亚梦想党从全国各地接来数以万计的民众，包括公务员，到首都第比利斯中心的自由广场举行竞选集会，几家独立地方电视台的画面显示。

示威者击鼓，高呼“乔治亚梦想万岁！”，在首都第比利斯绿树成荫的鲁斯塔韦利大道上行进到会场，据法新社一名记者在现场报道。

游行队伍由强大寡头毕兹纳·伊万尼什维利的儿子Tsotne Ivanishvili带领，他控制着执政党，被广泛视为格鲁吉亚的实权人物。

“到2030年，我们将以尊严、尊重基督教、教会、道德、独立和主权成为欧洲联盟的成员，”总理伊拉克利·科巴赫齐德对大约5.5万人的人群说。

“欧盟政客和官员的不公正行为不适合欧洲，拒绝基督教教义不适合欧洲，LGBT宣传不适合欧洲，不尊重他人主权不适合欧洲。”

周日，成千上万人走上街头参加了一场亲欧盟的集会。

– 阴谋论 –

乔治亚梦想党的竞选集中在一个关于“全球战争党”的阴谋论，该党控制西方机构，试图把格鲁吉亚卷入俄罗斯-乌克兰战争。

“如果反对派上台，他们会发动战争（与俄罗斯），这就是为什么我们支持乔治亚梦想。它是和平的保证，”集会参与者之一70岁的Tamila Siradze说。

自2012年执政以来，乔治亚梦想党最初秉持自由的亲西方政纲，但过去两年转向，被指责与莫斯科走得更近。

布鲁塞尔今年早些时候冻结了格鲁吉亚加入欧盟的进程，因为乔治亚梦想党议员通过了一项有争议的“外国影响法”，针对公民社会。

这项措施的通过引发了数周的大规模街头抗议，也促使华盛顿对数十名格鲁吉亚官员实施制裁。

本月早些时候，欧盟外交政策负责人约瑟普·鲍雷尔警告说，乔治亚梦想党的行动“表明向专制主义的转变”。

民调显示，反对派党派有可能在周六的选举中获得足够的选票，组成联合政府，并取代执政党。

分析师警告称，如果乔治亚梦想党不顾选举结果试图继续执政，可能会造成动荡。

Georgia’s ruling party held its final campaign rally on Wednesday ahead of crucial elections pitting it against a pro-Western opposition union which accuses the government of increasing authoritarianism.

Saturday’s parliamentary elections are seen as a vital test for EU-candidate Georgia’s democracy and long-held European aspirations.

The ruling Georgian Dream party bussed tens of thousands of people, including public servants, from across the country to a campaign rally at the capital Tbilisi’s central Freedom Square, footage from several independent local TV stations showed.

Demonstrators beat drums and shouted “Long live Georgian Dream!” as they marched down Tbilisi’s tree-lined Rustaveli Avenue towards the venue, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The column was led by Tsotne Ivanishvili, the son of powerful oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili who controls the ruling party and is widely seen as the man in charge in Georgia.

“By 2030, we will become a member of the European Union — with dignity, with respect for Christianity, the Church, morality, independence and sovereignty,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told the crowd of some 55,000 people.

“The injustice of EU politicians and officials does not suit Europe, the rejection of Christian dogmas does not suit Europe, LGBT propaganda does not suit Europe and disrespect for others’ sovereignty does not suit Europe.”

On Sunday, tens of thousands took to the streets for a pro-Europe rally in Tbilisi.

– Conspiracy theory –

Georgian Dream’s campaign has centred on a conspiracy theory about a “global party of war” that controls Western institutions and is seeking to drag Georgia into the Russia-Ukraine war.

“If the opposition comes to power, they will start a war (with Russia), that’s why we support Georgian Dream. It is the guarantor of peace,” said Tamila Siradze, 70, one of the rally’s participants.

In power since 2012, Georgian Dream initially pursued a liberal pro-Western policy agenda, but over the last two years has reversed course and been accused of moving closer to Moscow.

Brussels froze Georgia’s EU accession process earlier this year after Georgian Dream lawmakers passed a controversial “foreign influence law” targeting civil society.

The adoption of the measure — criticised as a Kremlin-style law to silence dissent — sparked weeks of mass street protests and also prompted Washington to impose sanctions on dozens of Georgian officials.

Earlier this month, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell cautioned that Georgian Dream’s actions “signal a shift towards authoritarianism”.

Opinion polls suggest opposition parties are likely to garner enough votes in Saturday’s election to form a coalition government and supplant the ruling party.

Analysts have warned of the risk of turmoil if Georgian Dream attempts to hold onto power regardless of the vote’s outcome.