Javakheti (Georgia), Oct 25 (AP) When Vahan Agayan goes to the polling station in Georgia's parliamentary election Saturday, he says he and his wife will vote as directed to by officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Agayan has a sheep farm near the border with Armenia and Turkey, 135 kilometers (83 miles) west of — and a world away from — the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. There, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in a pre-election demonstration in favor of joining the European Union.
Also Read | Israel-Hamas War: Egypt's Security Officials, Palestinian Hamas Leaders Meet for Gaza Ceasefire Talks in Cairo. But in the mountainous Javakheti region, what Agayan wants most is stability. A few years ago, wolves got into his barn and killed half the sheep, almost destroying the livelihoods of dozens of families.
For Agayan, the EU is far away; what matters are the local leaders who have the power to make or break small farmers like him. Also Read | US Presidential Election 2024: Republican Party's Donald Trump Takes Narrow Lead Over Democratic Party's VP Kamala Harris Ahead of November 5 Polls. “Most people” will vote for the regional lawmaker from Georgian Dream, he said.
“An old dog is always better than a new one,” he said, suggesting a change in power could be unpredictable. Many in this South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people believe the election will be the most important of their lives, a pivotal vote on the chance to join the European Union.
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