Analysis of the News: “The West is once again attempting to carry out a coup in Georgia”

Published on:

November 2024.

As part of the program Regional Initiative for combating disinformation “Western Balkans Combatting disinformation Center: Exposing malicious influences through fact-checking and Analytical Journalism“, we present you a new analysis of fake news and disinformation narratives.

The West is once again attempting to carry out a coup in Georgia

https://lat.sputnikportal.rs/20241126/zapad-ponovo-pokusava-da-sprovede-drzavni-udar-u-gruziji-rusija-olivera-ikodinovic-1179912223.html

The parliamentary elections in Georgia, held on October 26, 2024, marked a pivotal point in the country’s political life, following months of protests and political tension. These elections had the potential to significantly influence Georgia’s foreign policy direction as the ruling party, Georgian Dream, in power for 12 years, faced four opposition parties:  Unity – to Save Georgia, Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia, and For Georgia.

Georgian Dream secured 54.23% of the votes, maintaining its dominant position in parliament, while the opposition won 37.44%. Georgian Dream presented the election results as a “referendum” on peace and stability, emphasizing the potential military threat from Russia, while portraying the opposition as a possible threat to national security. The party also positioned itself as a defender of traditional values and national identity, urging voters to choose stability and the preservation of the existing social order.

Protests against Georgian Dream began immediately after the October elections but gained full momentum on November 28 when the government unexpectedly decided to freeze negotiations on European Union (EU) accession until 2028. This decision provoked a strong reaction, as the vast majority of Georgians support the country’s European path, which is enshrined in the Constitution. Every night, the main boulevards in front of the parliament in Tbilisi were filled with demonstrators, many of them waving EU flags in protest against government policies.

It is worth noting that the ruling Georgian Dream party proposed a foreign agents law earlier this year. After the Parliament approved the proposal in the first reading, massive demonstrations erupted in Tbilisi. Although the law was withdrawn, the party reintroduced it in April, and the Assembly passed it in May, replacing the term with “organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” The law requires independent groups and media outlets receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register publicly, suggesting they are “servants of foreign interests.”

Interestingly, a few months later, members of the ruling Socialist Movement of Aleksandar Vulin in Serbia proposed a similar law on the registry of agents of foreign influence, as reported by N1. The draft law, submitted by members of the Serbian Progressive Party parliamentary group, defined agents of foreign influence as “all associations and non-profit organizations predominantly financed or otherwise supported by foreign countries, their organs, international and foreign organizations, foreign nationals, or registered non-governmental organizations funded from abroad.” However, Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić, stated from the Presidential Palace that he would not accept this proposal, despite some SNS parliamentarians considering certain elements of the law as positive, as reported by Radio Free Europe.

It is assumed that Serbia’s president is aware of the consequences such a law could bring. Following the adoption of a similar law in Georgia, the country’s EU accession was halted, and part of its financial aid was frozen. Due to such actions by Georgian authorities, the pro-European opposition protested throughout 2024, with demonstrations intensifying after the October elections, which were reportedly neither free nor fair.

Pro-Russian media, as usual, reported that the West was behind these protests, accompanied by sensationalist headlines: “The West is Once Again Attempting to Carry Out a Coup in Georgia,” “Russian Experts on RT Balkan: Is the West Trying to Spark Another Color Revolution in Georgia,” “Russia on the Attempted Color Revolutions in Georgia: The West Does Not Hesitate to Use the Dirtiest Technologies,” “Medvedev: A Color Revolution is Underway in Georgia.” Denis Baturin, a Russian expert and political analyst interviewed by Russia Todayclaimed the situation in Georgia is dangerous. “They are trying to organize a new revolution in Georgia. The current situation can be compared to Ukraine in 2014 when President Yanukovych and the then government refused to sign the EU Association Agreement.”

Pro-European protests in politically polarized states are often compared to Euromaidan or so-called color revolutions, as in Ukraine. However, such comparisons are problematic, particularly when used by pro-Russian media, which aim to divert attention from the genuine causes of the protests. Instead of focusing on the legitimate dissatisfaction of citizens with the ruling structures and policies, these media often claim that the demonstrations result from foreign influence, specifically organized by the West. This approach seeks to delegitimize the internal political and social processes driving these protests.

Author: Nataša Stanojević