The panel discussed the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Republic of Georgia, which will take place on October 26. The conversation focused on the election's implications for Georgia's democratic future and its potential shift away from the European Union and NATO towards Russian and Chinese influence.
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What Was Discussed
The upcoming Republic of Georgia parliamentary elections and what's at stake for Georgia's independence
The growing influence of authoritarian regimes on unstable nations around the world
“It's important for the United States government to pay attention right now when this election happens Saturday. If there should be a change in power, the United States should make it clear that a smooth transition to power needs to occur, and that the United States will be paying attention and that we will be active.”
– Chairman Mike Turner
Notable Quotes
“This is a turning point for Georgia, and so it's that much more important that we be there and we be committed when it comes to issues, especially where authoritarian regimes have been and have contracted, and democracy and freedom have broken out and are trying to still take hold. There is no greater voice in the world than ours.”
– Chairman Mike Turner
“What's different about this election is that never in the past, over three decades of Georgia's independence, has there been a government that's been so hostile to the West, that's taken such an anti-democratic and more pro-Russian direction, than this government has done.”
– Former Ambassador to Georgia, William Courtney
“Georgian elections matter to the United States. It's not just another election in a faraway country where democracy may break down. Georgia matters to the United States because, for a number of reasons, we have decades of an important alliance relationship that cannot just be relinquished.”
–Former Georgian Member of Parliament, Giorgi Kandelaki
“The upcoming parliamentary election does feel like a make-or-break, existential moment for the country, one that will really determine Georgia's geopolitical anchoring and level of freedoms enjoyed by Georgians and the quality of government enjoyed by Georgians for a generation, if not more.”
– Dalibor Rohac, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Panel Speakers:
Congressman Mike Turner, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Former Ambassador to Georgia William Courtney, Adjunct Senior Fellow, RAND Corporation
Former Georgian Member of Parliament Giorgi Kandelaki, Project Manager, Soviet Past Research Laboratory
Dalibor Rohac, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Moderator
