Polling stations in Georgia opened this morning for parliamentary elections, which are considered decisive for the country's European future.
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The election campaign was dominated by foreign policy topics and mutual accusations of defamation.
Some Georgians have complained of intimidation and pressure to vote for the ruling Georgian Dream party, which the opposition has accused of waging a "hybrid war" against its citizens.
Ahead of the election, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire who founded Georgian Dream and made his fortune in Russia, again vowed to ban opposition parties if his party wins.
"Georgian Dream will hold the opposition parties "fully responsible under the full force of the law for the war crimes committed against the people of Georgia," Ivanishvili said at a rally in Tbilisi on Wednesday. He did not explain what crimes he held the opposition responsible for.
He also added earlier that Georgia will become an EU member "only with dignity" and that it must not go to war with Russia or impose sanctions on Moscow.
Many Georgians believe that these parliamentary elections may be the most important vote of their lives, as they will determine whether Georgia will follow the path to the EU, or whether it will accept authoritarianism and Russian influence.
According to polls, about 80 percent of Georgians are in favor of joining the EU, and the country's constitution obliges its leaders to strive for membership in the Union and NATO.
But Brussels has put Georgia's EU accession process on hold after the ruling Georgian Dream party in June adopted a "Russian law" cracking down on free speech. Many Georgians fear that the party is dragging the country towards authoritarianism and killing hopes that it could join the EU.
The opposition parties did not unite in one coalition at the invitation of President Saloma Zourabishvili, but, also at her appeal, they signed the "Georgian Charter", agreeing that, in case of victory of the opposition, a technocratic government will be formed that will ensure the democratic transition and implement the reforms necessary for continuation of the path to the EU.
However, the results of the elections are difficult to predict due to unreliable public opinion polls, as they are conducted either by pro-government or pro-opposition groups.
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