**Georgia’s President Warns of “Existential Challenge”**
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has warned that her country is facing an “existential challenge”. She believes that the ruling party, Georgian Dream, is dismantling democratic institutions and aligning itself with Russia‘s authoritarian model.
Zurabishvili made these comments while speaking at Lithuania’s Parliament on March 25. She urged Europe to take action quickly before Georgia falls under Russian influence.
**Democratic Institutions Under Threat**
The President accused the ruling party of reversing Georgia’s democratic progress and suppressing opposition. She said that journalists, students, civil society leaders, and opposition figures are being unfairly detained.
Zurabishvili also criticized the government for abandoning its pro-European commitments. She warned that Georgia risks falling further into Moscow’s sphere of influence.
**Russia’s Influence**
The President believes that Russia is trying to re-establish control over the Black Sea, the Caucasus, and Europe’s access to Central Asia. She accused the Georgian Dream government of blocking key infrastructure projects, such as the Anaklia seaport.
Zurabishvili urged the European Union and NATO to take a closer look at financial networks supporting the regime, which she believes are helping Russia to make Georgia a sanctions evasion hub.
**New Security Strategy Needed**
The President called for a new Black Sea and Caucasus security strategy that secures Europe’s access to Central Asia, strengthens NATO’s presence, and blocks Russian and Chinese expansion into the region.
She stressed that such a strategy needs a partner in a stable and democratic Georgia. Failure in Georgia would affect the EU’s credibility, according to Zurabishvili.
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