Does the west want change in Georgia?

Nobody doubts that to develop in a democratic direction, Georgia will need to hold transparent, fair and genuine elections. Moreover, the country should experience a smooth transition in the ruling forces just like in the developed countries when one party is replaced by another as the leaders of the country’s administration. Current developments in Georgia showed that certain revolutionary developments are doomed to failure. People do not like the idea of directing the country towards internal violence, confrontation and the according consequences. Georgian people have good memories, they experienced a bloody coup de tat which ousted the legal president, they also experienced a bloodless revolution which removed the legal president and opened the door for the Rose administration. So the people do not want either of the events to take place in Georgia. People demand the realization of their hopes and dreams in a democratic way through elections. Now the following question is of paramount importance: how could fair elections be secured where no manipulation would be possible? No administrative resources would be influencing the results of the elections, so that people would express their free will without fear of losing jobs or other advantages, so that they would not be intimidated, blackmailed and so on. How could all of this be achieved? Should this happen as a result of amendments in the elections code or should we agree that the existing system is quite satisfactory and that all is needed is the goodwill and trust of the ruling administration. The question remains open.

Many independent analysts agree that the revolutionary method has discredited itself, that nothing viable has come out from the protest rallies which were targeted towards the changing of the governance. At very high expense, the Georgians may have realised once and for all that this way is harmful. So, now only the elections remain as a path for change. How prepared is the ruling power, the opposition and the population for such developments?

Many think in Georgia that the only possibility to achieve genuine results from the elections is for Georgia’s western allies to put pressure on the ruling administration to conduct fair elections without any manipulations. In this regard, a crucial question appears; Does the west really want to change the current ruling administration or is it satisfied with its performance?

The United National Movement complies with most of the western demands. It participates in all programmes suggested and offered by European allies and/or US. It sends its troops to Afghanistan. It is ready to give its airspace, sea ports and other facilities for different operations carried out by the NATO plans. There are many different steps made in the direction to please Georgia’s western friends. So the question is does the west really wants to change the current administration? Is it interested in removing the existing authorities and installing in their place a party whose capabilities at the highest level are unknown? What would happen to these western friends of a new incumbent tried to modify foreign policy in a different direction? These are big questions which remain unanswered. When the elections do come around, the west will have to show their true colours, whether they be rose or otherwise.