THE CHOICES in Georgia, October 26 was a pivotal moment for a country once hailed by the West for its democratic reforms. Its pro-European opposition saw it as perhaps the last chance to repair the damage done by the current anti-Western government and put the country back on the path to membership eu. If the official results are to be believed, that chance seems to have slipped away: they showed a decisive victory for the government, Russia-quietthe Georgian Dream party, with 54% of the votes. Election authorities said an alliance of four opposition parties took just 38 percent. If the result remains Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin is closer than ever to its goal of creating another client state. The Georgian poll took place alongside another important test of Russian influence operations, the two-stage presidential election in Moldova, which concludes next week.