Russians are not welcome in the bar “Dedaena” in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. At least not before you’ve filled out a form created by the owner. Russian guests must sign a document stating they did not vote for President Vladimir Putin, condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine and considering Crimea part of Ukraine.

It is typical of the fears of many Georgians that Putin supporters are among the tens of thousands of Russians who have fled the mobilization. And they would rather lose it than get rich. Meanwhile, they also question whether their own government is secretly supporting Putin.

“I don’t want to serve beer to these Russians”

It is not surprising that the arrival of the Russian refugees is delicate. Russia and Georgia have been fighting over two disputed regions for years. Russia still occupies a fifth of Georgia’s territory.

“I’ve seen wars, revolution and hunger in this country, and it’s always had to do with Russia,” says bar owner Data Lapauri. “Many of the Russian refugees were in the army and shot at us. And now I have to serve them beer? I didn’t think so.”

Data shows us how his “Russian form” works:

Hatred of Russia is great. Eight out of ten Georgians would like to join the European Union. There are concerns that with the arrival of tens of thousands of Russians, the country will come under the influence of Russia’s occupation and move further away from an EU accession candidate.

Action group Shame believes the government is deliberately letting in pro-Putin Russians. “This is how the government keeps Russia happy and harms our country and our European future,” says Shame’s Katie Shoshiashvili.

But the government points out that stopping refugees would play into Putin’s hands. “If we close the borders to Russians fleeing mobilization, we will help Putin drag them to the war in Ukraine,” said Nikoloz Samkharadze, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the ruling party.

But the Georgians don’t trust him. Power within the ruling Georgian Dream party would rest in the hands of the party’s founder, former prime minister and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, known as a friend of Russia.

Ivanishvili is said to be opposed to the European Union’s demands for reform to thwart the admissions process. “These reforms can be implemented in a few months if the political will is there,” said Shame activist Shoshiashvili. “But the ruling party will never do that. Ivanishvili, whether we want to face it or not, is acting in Russia’s interests.”

The government is playing “a dangerous game,” says political scientist Bakur Kvashilava. “People decided a long time ago that Russia can never be a solution.”

glass palace

Former Prime Minister Ivanishvili made a fortune bank in Russia. After his brief tenure as prime minister, he retired to a glass palace enthroned above the city. The EU reforms would undermine his position, says Kvashilava. “More democracy and legal equality are a potential threat to someone with that much power and money.”

But according to Ivanishvili’s party colleague Samkharadze, that’s just oppositional rhetoric. “In reality, the entire government and the entire parliament cannot be ruled by one person. It is impossible that Ivanishvili has all power.”

But bar owner Lapauri is also convinced that the government is not speaking out enough against Russia and is not speeding up the reforms enough. “We paid the price, we all shed our blood and deserve to belong to the EU. And that has to happen quickly, otherwise we are no longer Georgia.”