Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called the country's upcoming parliamentary elections a "choice between Europe and Russia" for the South Caucasus nation.
Zurabishvili's statement came after she signed a decree announcing October 26, the last Saturday of October, as the day for the parliamentary polls, saying that voters will have to "choose between war and peace" in the election.
"The day of the decision, the day of choice, the day of survival is coming," Zurabishvili said, stressing that the election will be "existential" for the former Soviet republic and will "define the country's destiny for many years to come."
"Nobody in Georgia wants a war, and nobody is planning it.... The choice will be between being Russia's slave or cooperation with Europe," Zurabishvili added.
Despite Georgia's longtime aspiration to join NATO and the European Union, the government's relationship with the West has been going downhill in recent years amid Tbilisi's visible turn toward Russia.
Brussels has paused ongoing EU accession negotiations with Tbilisi and the United States has undertaken a "comprehensive review" of relations with Georgia over the controversial "foreign agent law" that was recently adopted by the Georgian government -- which is ruled by the Georgian Dream party of billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili -- amid fierce protests.
"The choice will be between obedience to Russia via miserable concessions and actual selling the soul to Russia and being an equal state in Europe, promoting our identity, history, talents, and opportunities -- Georgia's adequate representation in a free and peaceful environment. There will not be a second chance," Zurabishvili said.
Georgia's civil society has for years sought to move the country away from the influence of Russia, which still maintains thousands of troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway Georgian regions that Moscow recognized as independent states following a five-day war with Tbilisi in 2008.
By RFE/RL
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