The Daily Beat: 15 May
In an interview with government mouthpiece Imedi TV, Georgian Dream Prime Minister and party chair Irakli Kobakhidze described the current U.S.-Georgia relationship as “active-negative,” saying it cannot be “neutral” due to the already-imposed and forthcoming sanctions on GD officials. The comment comes a day after his open letter to Donald Trump and JD Vance, written in a frustrated tone, seeking the U.S. administration to break its “silence” toward the Georgian Dream.
At a briefing, the Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stressed the ruling party has launched a new wave of political repression, targeting political figures. She further said that a parliamentary investigative commission, officially tasked with probing into alleged UNM crimes, was created not to uncover the truth but to target and punish opposition politicians.
On May 14, the Georgian Dream Parliament swiftly passed amendments to the Law on Diplomatic Service, with 87 votes in favor. Introduced just 10 days prior, the changes allow for early termination of diplomatic postings for officials violating ethical standards or government foreign policy. They also permit extending rotation periods for staff by up to one year and mandate performance evaluations at least twice a year, replacing the previous annual review requirement.
The Freedom Square political party has accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of refusing to officially register the party after the Public Registry rejected its application for the second time. The party alleges political bias behind the decision and claims that Georgian Dream is obstructing its registration because it realizes that new political forces are the main obstacle to its corrupt and repressive policies.
Germany’s new coalition government has urged the Georgian Dream government to stop disinformation campaigns, cease hostile rhetoric toward the EU, and end attacks on German Ambassador Peter Fischer. In a statement to Formula TV on May 15, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office also expressed concern over rising tensions and called for the GD to align with European values and protect the EU’s credibility.
U.S. lawmakers and European parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are urging Portugal to deny visas to Georgian officials attending the 32nd Annual Session in Porto from June 29 to July 3. They express concerns that the Georgian Dream government is undermining democracy, stating that the officials’ participation would contradict the principles of the OSCE and send a negative message to those advocating for democracy in Georgia and beyond.