Politics

July 28, 2021

July 5 Violence Organizers Not Identified, Ombudsperson Says

Public Defender of Georgia stated that law enforcement agencies have not yet identified and taken appropriate measures to bring to justice the organizers of July 5-6 homophobic pogroms, which resulted in attacks on more than 50 journalists

Politics

July 12, 2021

Garibashvili Not Willing to Resign, Slams ‘Anti-State Conspiracy’

"This is another unsuccessful conspiracy against the state planned by anti-state and anti-church forces," said Georgian Prime Minister today about the recent developments in Tbilisi, including the protest of thousands on July 11 in response to the death of TV Pirveli cameraman, Aleksandre Lashkarava, some week after being brutally assaulted by far-right groups

Politics

July 11, 2021

Journalist’s Death Case: Georgian Media Appeals International Community

Over 70 Georgian media organizations, including Civil Georgia (Civil

Politics

July 03, 2021

The Dispatch – July 2/3: Unity That Wasn’t

Pride Week Starts with Violence - Rioni Activists Disappoint - Many Colors of National Unity - Call for Applications for Vacant CEC Head Position - Vaccines Arrive, but Are They the Ones? In a country full of divisions, "national unity" is sometimes the most aspired thing

Politics

July 01, 2021

The Dispatch – June 30/July 1: Finding Neutral

CEC Head Resigns: What's Next? - Coca-Cola Tycoon Wanted as Mayor - Mixed Messages ahead of Pride Kick-Off - Namakhvani: Mediation Pending with Demands Unmet With everybody in Georgia fed up with polarities, persons who are considered as somewhat "neutral" are the most sought after currently in politics

Politics

June 29, 2021

Economy Minister Talks Khudoni HPP Deal Withdrawal, Project Fate

In a June 28 press briefing, Economy Minister Natia Turnava said the government was negotiating the termination of investor agreement over Khudoni HPP, a controversial large-scale hydropower project planned to be built in the Svaneti region of western Georgia

Politics

June 28, 2021

Ombudsperson Enters Church-Run Orphanage Following Controversy

Public Defender Nino Lomjaria today entered the church-run Ninotsminda orphanage, accompanied by the recently-appointed head of the establishment Bishop Jakob of Bodbe, a development that follows some two-month-long controversy as previous leadership refused the Ombudsperson's monitoring

Politics

June 26, 2021

The Dispatch – June 25/26: Pre-Campaign

2021 Local Elections: First Polls Come Out - Key Legislative Changes Move Ahead - Gov't's Generous Move Triggers Déjà Vu - Baby in Parliament - Vasadze Treated in Turkey October local elections do not look to be far away anymore: things start to heat up again as TV's publish polling results, the ruling party gets generous, and game-changers appear in the opposition

Politics

June 24, 2021

The Dispatch – June 23/24: Wrong Spirit

Politics

June 22, 2021

The Dispatch – June 21/22: Endgames

2 Years since Gavrilov Night (that Never Ends) - UNM Hints of Joining the April 19 Deal - Rustaveli National Theater under Fire over Moscow Journey - Journalists Look into Companies behind Namakhvani HPP - More Opposition Figures Travel to Washington D

Politics

June 17, 2021

Public Defender, Church Agree on Joint Orphanage Monitoring Visit

Following an hour-long meeting today, the Public Defender of Georgia, Nino Lomjaria, and the freshly-appointed head of the Ninotsminda orphanage, Bishop Jakob agreed to jointly conduct a monitoring visit in the church-run foster home sometime during the next week

Politics

June 17, 2021

The Dispatch – June 16/17: Pride and Prejudice

Landmark Ruling Addresses Children in Poverty Problem - Knight Vasadze Chasing Rainbows - Gakharia in Brussels - Bookstore Chain Loses in Court - Average Earnings: Good News with Sad Truth? - Why, genacvale?! Georgia on Russians' List of Unfriendlies While children and their right to dignified family life have attracted much attention lately, those awovedly guarding the sanctity of the family are busy chasing and threatening minorities

Politics

June 15, 2021

Controversial Bishop Appointed as Head of Church-run Foster Home

Following the weeks-long controversy surrounding the Ninotsminda orphanage, Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II on June 14 appointed Bishop Jakob of Bodbe (Konstatine Iakobashvili) as the head of the church-run foster home, replacing Skhalta Bishop Spiridon

Politics

June 15, 2021

The Dispatch – June 14/15: Villain

NATO's Empty Fortune Cookie - Kobakhidze Hangs June 20 Sins on Gakharia - UNM Leader Heads to the U

Politics

June 12, 2021

The Dispatch – June 11/12: Remnants

Parliament Gets Busy - UN Country Team on Ninotsminda Crisis - Namakhvani Protests Prepare for European Mediation - Criminal Authorities Problem Returns - Former Executive Alleges Politically Motivated Dismissal - Anniversary of Odd Harmful Tradition - Stray Doggos Steal Spotlight Greetings from Georgia, a country on the troubled path of breaking away from destructive habits, only to see that there are more remnants of the dark past to deal with than initially thought

Politics

June 10, 2021

PDO: Student Evicted from Church-run University Dorm over Orphanage Testimony

The Public Defender's Office said on June 9 that 18-year-old Luka Khachidze, a former ward of the Orthodox Church-run Ninotsminda Orphanage, was allegedly evicted from the dormitory of St

Politics

June 10, 2021

The Dispatch – June 9/10: Flashbacks

Namakhvani HPP: Watchdog's Revelations - History Repeats itself in Kutaisi - Economy Minister Courts Influencers - Two Days of Drama in Parliament - Anger Management: Gakharia Bears All In Georgia, at the top, new arrivals often have closure issues - they carry around pieces of unresolved past

Politics

June 08, 2021

The Dispatch – June 6-7: Puzzle

Ninotsminda Foster Home: New Accusations and Protests - Gakharia's Puzzling Political Role - Rally in Solidarity with Chiatura Protesters - Diplo Bae: Diplomats on Cuisine Tour in Tsinandali Politics in Georgia has been less about good governance and more about out-of-touch power games, as social protests gaining strength to counterbalance the detachment

Politics

June 07, 2021

Orthodox Church to Appeal Ninotsminda Orphanage Ruling

The Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) on June 6 said it will appeal the Tbilisi City Court's recent temporary order, ruling to remove children with disabilities from the Ninotsminda orphanage following the weeks-long controversy surrounding the church-run foster home

Politics

June 05, 2021

The Dispatch – June 4/5: Tumbling Walls

Foster Home: Anger Grows with New Allegations - Pride Week Announced in July - 'Charles Michel' Faction Splits Republicans - GEL's Mysterious Appreciation - Strikes Continue Drama concerning the Church-run Ninotsminda children's foster home is heating up, with some shocking allegations