"I doubt that local elections will take place at all because, even according to official reports, 'Georgian Dream' lost the elections in Tbilisi by a 60/40 ratio. This means that at least 60% of voters will be unable or unwilling to participate in the elections—possibly even more, depending on how many parties are banned," said Valeri Chechelashvili, head of geopolitical research at the Center for Strategic Analysis, on Palitranews' program Free Studio.

Chechelashvili made this statement in response to comments from 'Georgian Dream' Executive Secretary Mamuka Mdinaradze regarding his party's plan to appeal to the Constitutional Court to have the 'United National Movement' and its so-called "satellite" parties declared unconstitutional.

According to Chechelashvili, this statement is "clearly a departure from democratic norms."

"We are heading toward authoritarianism—that is clear. And I know for a fact that this demand was not included in the list presented by U.S. Ambassador Robin Dunnigan to Maka Bochorishvili. That list definitely did not include a request to ban political parties.

As for enforcement, I find it very difficult to imagine. I still hold out hope that this is just a trial balloon from Mamuka Mdinaradze and that they will not be able to implement this decision in reality. First of all, who will decide what constitutes a 'satellite' of the 'United National Movement' and who should be banned? A single party cannot make that decision alone. Such a development would be extremely dangerous. In that case, I doubt that local elections will even be held, because, for example, in Tbilisi, even based on official data, 'Georgian Dream' lost by a 60/40 margin. This means that at least 60% of voters will not or cannot participate in the elections—possibly even more, depending on how many parties are banned.

This would ultimately distance us from our key strategic partners—the U.S., the EU institutions, and the Council of Europe—without whom Georgia would struggle to find its place in the turbulent world around us or to maintain a respectable position in the international system," Chechelashvili emphasized.

The former ambassador also discussed the Friends of Georgia Act, highlighting that it enjoys bipartisan support, which is rare in the U.S. Senate.

"The fact that the South Caucasus, and Georgia in particular, has appeared on the U.S. political priority map is very encouraging.

We know very well that this act has strong bipartisan support. Not many issues receive such bipartisan agreement in the United States, and this is an asset for us. Despite their deep divisions on many topics, the U.S. political spectrum is united on this issue regarding Georgia. This demonstrates that the U.S., as our main strategic partner, has a well-defined policy toward Georgia—and not just Georgia, but the entire South Caucasus.

The fact that the South Caucasus and Georgia are now part of U.S. political priorities is, in itself, very reassuring. This will inevitably impact 'Georgian Dream' because the act has two components: one is the critical aspect, addressing the mistakes made by 'Georgian Dream,' particularly over the past year. The second is the incentive aspect, which outlines what can be achieved in bilateral relations if the Georgian government takes the necessary steps.

This includes boosting trade, strengthening military-political security, and much more.

Ultimately, Trump’s signature is required. If this were just a Democratic initiative, there might still be some uncertainties. But since it has bipartisan support, I have no doubt that Trump will sign it. Consequently, we are approaching a stage where new sanctions will be imposed on Georgian individuals and entities, which will have serious repercussions for Georgia’s economy.

At the same time, there are incentives—meaning that if the Georgian government takes appropriate actions, there will be opportunities to enhance trade, strengthen military-political security, and achieve other benefits.

We are now at a crossroads where we must make a decision. This decision will determine whether we remain in the space where we truly belong—closer to Europe and our strategic partners—or whether we drift toward the space created by Russia, with its 'Russkiy Mir,' which I have referred to as a 'leper colony,'" Chechelashvili concluded.