Politics

April 13, 2021

The Dispatch – April 12/13: Tents of Discontents

Gov't Plows over Seeds of Democracy - Tents that Symbolize Today's Politics - Opposition Party Implodes - EU FMs Arrival Rumored - Georgian Dream Chair Hits the Road - Batumi Civil Servant's Controversial Dismissal In medieval Georgia, during the “Golden Age” rule of King Tamar, nobles on strike proposed forming “Karavi” – Georgian word denoting a tent – as a first-ever local project of a legislative assembly, supposed to strip Kings of many of their powers

Politics

April 10, 2021

The Dispatch – April 9/10: Memories of Choice

April 9 and Talks of Unity - Tilting at Windmills in Tbilisi - Paint the Wall Black - 1,000 More Workers Head Overseas - Landmark Ruling Delivers Bread & Justice As Georgia marks April 9 - one of the most important dates in the country’s recent history, all contradictions in Georgian politics of memory and national unity bubble up to the surface

Politics

April 08, 2021

The Dispatch – April 7/8: Conditional Love

EaP Fatigue & Lost Unconditional Love -

Politics

April 03, 2021

The Dispatch – April 2/3: Dead Poet Society

Aftershocks from North & West - Being Casual about European Money - GD Chair Seeks Shelter in Poetry - Outrage as Powerful Man Again Loses It - Zoom Meetings Beat Conflict Prejudices Greetings from Tbilisi, a locked-down city that goes to bed early for some, and a city that never sleeps for others

Politics

March 31, 2021

The Dispatch – March 31/April 1: National & Other Prides

Ex-PM's Old-fashioned Self-Marketing amid Failed Mediation - Activists See Homophobia in Minister's Remarks - Big Breakthrough for Trans Rights in Georgia - Teen's Bold Move Sparks

Politics

March 30, 2021

The Dispatch – March 29-30: Second Coming

Danielsson's Second Coming & Biblical Lines - Georgia's Civil Society at Odds - Vaccination Crisis & Search for Ways out - Georgia to Chair International Organization - Meta-Cultural Struggles Greetings from Georgia, where the old is dying and the new cannot be born: this is why past days here have been all about Second Comings

Politics

March 17, 2021

Georgian Central Bank Increases Key Rate to 8.5%

The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) on March 17 increased the key refinancing rate by 50 basis points to 8

Politics

March 01, 2021

Opposition Talks Plebiscite On Snap Elections, EU Mediation after Meeting President Michel

Georgian opposition leaders spoke of conceding on their snap elections demand and settling on a plebiscite, as a compromise to resolve Georgia's political crisis, after today's meeting with European Council President Charles Michel

Politics

February 23, 2021

In Quotes: Georgian Politicians React to UNM Office Raid, Melia Detention

Today's detention of United National Movement Chair Nika Melia in a police raid on the party's headquarters stirred mixed assessments from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition

Politics

February 23, 2021

Opposition Holds Protest, Schedules ‘Large-scale’ Rally on February 26

Opposition leaders and scores of anti-governmental protesters gathered outside the Georgian Government Administration building in downtown Tbilisi on February 23, in the aftermath of United National Movement leader Nika Melia's detention

Politics

February 23, 2021

Interior Ministry, Georgian Dream Report Cyberattack

The Interior Ministry and ruling Georgian Dream party said in separate statements on February 23 that their computer infrastructure was targeted by a cyberattack

Politics

February 22, 2021

PM-Designate Garibashvili Prioritizes “Order,” State Intervention in Economy

Prime Minister-designate Irakli Garibashvili told lawmakers at parliamentary confirmation hearings on February 22 that post-pandemic recovery, securing COVID-19 vaccines, inclusive economic growth and "establishing order" will be among his priorities during his first 100 days as PM

Politics

February 22, 2021

Garibashvili: Lithuanian MP Statements ‘Mean Absolutely Nothing’ for Georgian Dream

At today's Parliament session, the ruling Georgian Dream party's Prime Minister-designate Irakli Garibashvili said Lithuanian Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Žygimantas Pavilionis' statements are "unacceptable and outrageous

Politics

February 10, 2021

Georgian Politicians React to EU Association Implementation Report

A new Association Implementation Report on Georgia, released by the European External Action Service on February 9, highlighted Georgia's continued commitment "to the implementation, obligations, and undertakings of the Association Agreement," albeit noting shortcomings regarding judiciary independence and democratic consolidation

Politics

February 02, 2021

Bailed Cartographer Assailed after Social Media Smear Campaign

After their release on bail from pre-trial detention on January 28, Iveri Melashvili and Natalia Ilychova, two civil servants accused of trying to cede land to Azerbaijan, have been targeted in what appears to be a coordinated social media campaign aiming to discredit and vilify them

Politics

January 26, 2021

Boycotting Opposition Parties Call on GD to Resume Talks

In a January 26 joint statement, the United National Movement-led Strength in Unity bloc, as well as European Georgia, Lelo, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Girchi - More Freedom and Labor parties call on the Georgian Dream to return to the negotiating table "timely

Politics

January 10, 2021

Former Alliance of Patriots MPs Launch ‘European Socialists’ Party

On January 9, four businessmen lawmakers - Avtandil Enukidze, Zaza Mikadze, Pridon Injia, and David Zilpimiani - that entered the new Georgian Parliament through the proportional list of nativist Alliance of Patriots (AoP) party launched the European Socialists Party

Politics

January 05, 2021

Four Opposition MPs Quit Alliance of Patriots Party, Enter Parliament

Four MPs from the nativist Alliance of Patriots (AoP) party's proportional list will be taking up legislative mandates for the 10th convocation of the Parliament against the general opposition boycott

Politics

December 25, 2020

ISFED Director Quits After Board Decision Over PVT Controversy

Elene Nizharadze, Executive Director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a key Georgian election watchdog, resigned on December 25, after the Board held her responsible for controversy over the results of Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) of October 31 Parliamentary Elections

Politics

December 04, 2020

CEC Summarizes Final Vote Tally for October 31 Parliamentary Elections

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia summarized on December 3 the final vote tally for the October 31 parliamentary elections, as well as November 21 majoritarian runoffs