Georgia prepares for a bitterly divided election which could determine its future in Europe

Many Georgians fear if the ruling 'Georgian Dream' party is re-elected, it could kill off aspirations to EU membership entirely.

Transcript

00:00Georgia is heading to the polls on Saturday in a parliamentary election many citizens

00:07believe will be the most crucial vote of their lifetimes.

00:11The election will pit a coalition of opposition parties against the ruling Georgian dream,

00:16which many fear is dragging the nation towards authoritarianism and away from the European

00:21Union.

00:22Brussels put Georgia's bid for entry to the EU on hold indefinitely in August after

00:28the ruling government passed a Russian law cracking down on freedom of speech earlier

00:33this year.

00:34Georgian Dream argue it needed to curb harmful foreign actors trying to destabilise the country.

00:40But journalists and activists say its true goal is to stigmatise them and restrict debate

00:46before the election.

00:49Many Georgians fear that if the Georgian Dream party is re-elected, hopes of joining the

00:53EU could be permanently extinguished.