The war in Ukraine is forcing the peoples of these countries to make a clear choice, against their own conscience. Moldovans want a place in the world, not just in the "Russian world", to which they already belong. Even more heart-wrenching is the choice Georgians have to make this weekend, deciding their country’s future in addition to picking their representatives in parliament.

As Tbilisi prepares to vote in the parliamentary elections on 26 October, President Salome Zurabišvili is more and more openly presenting herself as the antagonist to the Georgian Dream, the pro-Russian force that has led the country for 12 years. He has demanded from his European partners the immediate resumption of EU integration talks in the event of an opposition victory. While Prime Minister Iraklij Kobakhidze is calling for his resignation in the event of his party's victory.

Political clash heats up in Georgia in the run-up to the October parliamentary elections. The opposition is looking to Europe, while the ruling leadership is aiming for control of the country (and a new balancing act between Russia and the EU, on the Hungarian model). In the background is Ivanišvili's role between the public sphere and private interests.

Tbilisi's turn towards Moscow also threatens to have repercussions on the gas pipelines that connect Azerbaijan to Europe by crossing its territory. And Armenia, which is trying to break away from Russia, could also lose its most important ally.

Controversial law ‘on the transparency of foreign influences’ promulgated, the ruling Georgian Dream party promises to ‘ferret out all foreign agents, traitors and spies’ starting with the ‘young people enlisted’ to stage the uprising. The walls of the houses of the deputies who voted for the measure are daubed with the words ‘slaves’. Opposition forces also denounce threats and intimidation.

Despite the Georgian Dream's show of strength with the final approval, the demonstrators had a chance to show the ‘European face’ of Tbilisi. Many hope that the measure might not be implemented, to avoid sanctions from Washington and Brussels. Awaiting the October elections.