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The Daily Beat: 18 March
In the framework of his three-day visit to the South Caucasus states, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Tbilisi from Azerbaijan, where he met with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and President Salome Zurabishvili. Speaking at the press conference in Tbilisi, the secretary-general reiterated NATO’s full support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, condemned the holding of Russia’s …
Tags: CSOs, EU Delegation to Georgia, Georgian Dream party, Ilham Aliyev, Jens Stolstenberg, Occupied Territories, OECD, People’s Power, President Salome Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Protest rally, Radio Tavisupleba, Sozar Subari, Vladimir Putin
19/03/2024 - 09:00
Georgia in NATO Secretary General’s 2023 Annual Report
On March 14, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg released his annual report titled “Adapting to a Critical Time.” Georgia is featured in several parts of the report including those about the Alliance’s efforts at boosting partners’ training and capacity building, the Building Integrity initiative, the NATO’s Open Door Policy, bilateral and regional partnerships, NATO’s Engagement …
Tags: Jens Stoltenberg, NATO, NATO-Georgia relations
18/03/2024 - 19:34
International Tender for Anaklia Port Marine Infrastructure Announced
The international tender for the design and construction of the marine infrastructure of the Anaklia port has been announced, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia reported on March 18. According to the Ministry’s press release, the tender documents have been sent to the so-called Big Four dredging companies which have extensive experience …
Tags: Anaklia Port
OECD, Local CSOs Call on Georgia to Re-join Anti-corruption Monitoring Program
On March 14, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) called on Georgia to rejoin the Anti-Corruption Action Plan (IAP) peer review program, following Georgia’s decision to withdraw from the 5th round of monitoring last year. Under the program, the OECD publishes reports to assess efforts of the South Caucasus and Black Sea countries …
Tags: Anti-Corruption Bureau, OECD
NATO Chief Visits Georgia
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is on a visit to Georgia on March 18, in the framework of his three-day visit to the South Caucasus states. The Secretary General Stoltenberg arrived to Tbilisi from Azerbaijan. He met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Meeting with Georgian Prime Minister According to the …
Tags: Jens Stoltenberg, NATO, NATO General Secretary, PM Irakli Kobakhidze, President Salome Zurabishvili
People’s Power Officially Registers Political Party
On March 18, the political movement People’s Power, a spin-off of Georgian Dream, officially registered as a political party. During a founding congress, the party adopted its charter and structure, and unanimously elected former GD Member of Parliament Sozar Subari as the party’s leader. The party’s main committee consists of eight members and includes Dimitri …
Tags: Dachi Beraia, Dimitri Khundadze, People’s Power, Sozar Subari, Viktor Japaridze
Tbilisi, International Partners Condemn Russian Elections in Georgia’s Occupied Territories
Georgia and several other countries including Latvia, Austria, the United States, Sweden, Romania, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, the European Union, Estonia, Norway, France have condemned the illegal holding of the Russian presidential “elections” in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia. “Russia’s opening of polling stations in Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions is a blatant …
Russians in Tbilisi Rally against Putin Amid Presidential Elections
On March 17, dozens of Russians in Tbilisi held a protest rally against Russian President Vladimir Putin as the presidential elections, in which Putin faces virtually no opposition, is taking place in Russia. “Enough with Putin”, “No to Occupation of Georgia” and “Glory to Ukraine”, the protesters chanted, as observed by Civil.ge on-site. Dozens of …
Tags: Russian Elections, Russians in Georgia, Vladimir Putin
17/03/2024 - 15:34
Mexican Drug Cartel Holds Georgians Hostage at Mexican Border
A Mexican drug cartel has reportedly taken around 30 Georgians hostage at the border, demanding USD 90,000 as a ransom for their release, Mtavari Arkhi reported on March 16. The Georgian citizens, including women, have reportedly been held hostage for three days now. For years, Georgian citizens have used the border with Mexico to cross …
Tags: Georgian hostages, Mexican drug cartel
16/03/2024 - 20:30
PM Irakli Kobakhidze Visits Azerbaijan
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze visited Azerbaijan for the first time in his new capacity. Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili are part of the delegation of the PM’ s official visit to Baku on March 16. As part of the official visit, PM Kobakhidze met with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev …
Tags: Ali Asadov, Georgia-Azerbaijan Relations, Ilham Aliyev, PM Irakli Kobakhidze
The Daily Beat: 15 March
Opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV revealed that a businessman with ties to the Kremlin and a key figure in the controversial “cartographers’ case,” Davit Khidasheli, held the position of Adviser to the Defense Minister from 2020 to February 2024. Defense Ministry confirmed the fact but denied that he had access to classified information. Opposition representatives …
Tags: Adigeni, All Muslims of All Georgia, Azerbaijan, David Khidasheli, Defense Ministry of Georgia, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, foreign remittances, Mtavari Arkhi TV, National Bank of Georgia, President Salome Zurabishvili, State Security Service of Georgia, Supreme Court, Turkey, Vetting
Two Supreme Court Judges Disagree with Court’s Denunciation of Proposed ‘Vetting’
Two Supreme Court judges Nino Bakakuri and Ekaterine Gasitashvili do not agree with the Supreme Court statement made on March 11, denouncing the initiative to check the integrity of judges through extraordinary “vetting” mechanism, according to Netgazeti. The Supreme Court argued that it “would undermine the independence of the judiciary and the individual judges” as well …
Tags: Civil Society, EU integration, Supreme Court, Vetting
15/03/2024 - 20:41
Defense Minister Advised for Four Years by Russia-Linked Businessman, Central Figure in ‘Cartographers’ Case’
Davit Khidasheli, a key figure in the controversial “cartographers’ case” over the alleged ceding of Georgian land to Azerbaijan and a close associate of sanctioned Russian tycoon Vladimir Yevtushenkov, held the position of Adviser to the Georgian Defense Minister from 2020 to February 2024, the Georgian MoD confirmed in its March 15 statement. A day …
Tags: Cartographers' Case, Davit Khidasheli, Ministry of Defense
Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey Trilateral Foreign Ministerial Held in Baku
On March 15, Baku hosted the tripartite foreign Ministerial between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. According to the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs the parties discussed a range of issues including politics, trade, economy, energy, agriculture, transport as well as cultural and humanitarian issues. At the end of the ministerial meeting, the parties signed the Baku …
Money Transfers from Russia Down by 66.8% in February
In February 2024, money transfers from Russia decreased by 66.8% compared to the corresponding period of last year and amounted to USD 62.2 million, according to the statistical data released by the National Bank of Georgia on March 15. Despite the decrease, Russia still leads the list of countries from which money is transferred to …
Tags: National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Russian Money Transfers
Adigeni Muslims Urged to Limit Friday Prayer Gatherings Amidst Tensions
On March 14, the Administration of Muslims of All Georgians called on the Muslim population of the municipality of Adigeni, Samtskhe-Javakheti region, to refrain from large gatherings for Friday Jum’ah prayers. The warnings come after local Orthodox Christians cursed and insulted Muslims during a prayer on March 8 over their opposition to the opening of …
Two Georgian Citizens Released by Russian Occupation Forces
Two Georgian citizens, Dito Korinteli and Giorgi Meladze, who were illegally detained by Russian occupation forces in the occupied territory near the Adzvi village of the Gori municipality (in the vicinity of Tskhinvali occupation line), have been released and are now safe in the Tbilisi-controlled territory, the State Security Service of Georgia reported on March …
Tags: illegal detentions, Russian Occupation, Tskhinvali Region
Georgian Parliament’s Delegation Visits Switzerland and Liechtenstein
The Georgian delegation headed by the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, is on an official visit to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from March 12 to 16. During the visit to Switzerland, Speaker Papuashvili held a meeting with the President of the Swiss National Council, Eric Nussbaumer; the President of the Swiss Council of States, Eva …
Tags: Liechtenstein, Parliament of Georgia, Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Switzerland
The Daily Beat: 14 March
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze plans to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia in the coming days. According to PM Kobakhidze, this Saturday, he will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia a week later. “I will do my best to deepen bilateral relations and promote peace and stability in our region – South Caucasus,” Kobakhidze told journalists. Prime Minister Irakli …
Tags: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bichvinta, Davit Kezerashvili, Jens Stolstenberg, Lazare Grigoriadis, NATO integration, Occupied Abkhazia, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, U.S. Department of State, Vetting
Gelati Wall Painting Conservation Works Begin
A group of international specialists has begun conservation work on the wall paintings at Gelati Monastery – a masterpiece of medieval Georgia, located in the western Georgian region of Imereti and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over the span of eight months, 21 critical areas in need of conservation have been identified, as reported by the …
Tags: Gelati Monastery, Patriarchate of Georgia
14/03/2024 - 17:43
Court: Formula TV’s Dismissal of Cameraman Unlawful
On March 13, the Tbilisi City Court ruled that Formula TV’s decision to fire cameraman Giorgi Jibghashvili was unlawful, according to the Social Justice Center (SJC), a watchdog which defended his interests in the court. On February 3, 2023 it was announced that the Formula TV fired 25 cameramen who had been on strike since …
Tags: Formula TV, Giorgi Jibghashvili, Social Justice Center, Tbilisi City Court
Mother of Lazare Grigoriadis Says Denied Visits with Imprisoned Son
Tamta Kalandadze, the mother of Lazare Grigoriadis, 22, who was arrested in connection with the March 7-9 protests last year for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at police and setting fire to a police car, says she has been denied visits with her imprisoned son. According to her, although Lazare is allowed to call her, she …
Tags: Lazare Grigoriadis
TI-Georgia Presses Government on Judicial Reforms
In its March 14 statement, Transparency International-Georgia joined other CSOs in criticizing the Government’s Action Plan on the European Commission’s nine steps for its vagueness and “lack of specificity,” especially in the area of judicial reform. Citing the official EU action plan adopted in November last year, TI says there are only three activities on …
Tags: EU nine conditions, Judicial Reforms, TI-Georgia, Transparency International Georgia, Vetting
The Daily Beat: 13 March
Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili visited Finland, where he held meetings with the country’s President, Alexander Stubb, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, Minister for European Affairs Anders Adlercreutz, as well as representatives of the Grand Committee of Parliament. During the meetings, the parties discussed bilateral cooperation, security challenges, and European integration. “We discussed many …
Tags: Alexander Stubb, Azerbaijan-Georgia relations, CSOs, External Merchandise Trade, Finland, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, Ignazio Cassis, Key refinance rate, Liechtenstein, Mamuka Merkviladze, National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Ramil Usubov, Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Switzerland, Vetting
Two Sentenced in Sgt. Roin Shavadze’s 2008 Homicide Case
The former deputy head of the then Constitutional Security Department in Adjara and a member of the Special Forces were found guilty by of intentional unlawful detention of Sergeant Roin Shavadze, participation in the group killing of a helpless person, and abuse of power through the use of force. Both men were sentenced to 16 …
Tags: Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, Roin Shavadze
13/03/2024 - 19:17
Watchdogs: Government’s Refusal of Vetting in Judiciary Hinders EU Integration
Five local watchdogs said in their joint statement of March 13 that the initiative to establish a system of extraordinary integrity checks for judges, which is one of the nine conditions set by the European Commission for Georgia in November 2023, is “in full compliance with international standards and this fact has already been recognized …
FM Darchiashvili Visits Finland
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili is visiting Finland on March 12 and 13. During the visit he has already met with the President of Finland Alexander Stubb, the Minister of Foreign Affars of Finland Elina Valtonen, and the Minister for European Affairs of Finland Anders Adlercreutz. Additional meetings were held with representatives of the Grand …
Tags: Alexander Stubb, Elina Valtonen, Finland, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili
NBG Reduces Key Refinancing Rate from 9% to 8.25%
On March 13, the Monetary Policy Committee of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reduced the key refinancing rate by 0.75 percentage points to 8.25%. Inflation remains low in Georgia. In February, headline inflation increased by 0.3% annually, while core inflation was 2.4%. According to the NBG, Georgia’s low inflation is the result of tight monetary policy …
Azerbaijan Security Council Secretary Visits Georgia
On March 12, the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze met with the Secretary of the Security Council of Azerbaijan Ramil Usubov during the latter’s official visit to Georgia. Usubov has also met with the Defense and Interior Ministers of Georgia. According to Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani, this year Georgia will host Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia trilateral …
Tags: Azerbaijan-Georgia relations, Irakli Chikovani, Irakli Kobakhidze, Ramil Usubov, Vakhtang Gomelauri
Georgia-Azerbaijan Land Border to Remain Closed until July 2024
Azerbaijan has once again extended the “special quarantine regime” until July 1, 2024 6 AM “in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the country and the consequences it may cause,” according to the decision of the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers on March 11. The quarantine measures have been in place …
Tags: Azerbaijan
Georgia’s Foreign Trade Down 5.0% in January-February 2024
On March 13, the National Statistics Service of Georgia (Geostat) published express data indicating that the external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) of Georgia decreased by 5.0% in January-February 2024 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, amounting USD 2,941.5 million. Source: Geostat According to Geostat, Georgia’s external merchandise trade saw exports decreased by 12.2% …
Tags: Foreign Trade, Geostat
The Daily Beat: 12 March
Grigory Karasin, Head of Russia’s Federation Council’s Committee on International Affairs, praised the work done in the Russia-Georgia dialogue format, saying that “the positive results” achieved over the past 11 years will continue to be in demand after the appointment of Giorgi Kajaia to this post. He is further quoted as saying: “Russia is interested …
Tags: Belgium, CSOs, Davit Arakhamia, EU nine conditions, Georgia-Russia relations, Georgian Dream party, Germany, Grigory Karasin, Mikheil Saakashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Prosecutor’s Office, Russia-Georgia Flights, U.S.-Georgia relations, Ukraine-Georgia relations, USAID, Zurab Adeishvili
GD Absent from Meeting Discussing Nine Conditions CSO Action Plan
A coalition of twelve local civil society organizations met with representatives of political parties, with the exception of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which did not attend the meeting, to discuss the implementation of the nine conditions set by the European Commission for Georgia. The Coalition had earlier elaborated a detailed vision for the implementation …
Tags: CSOs, Georgian Dream, Mamuka Mdinaradze
12/03/2024 - 17:46
Ukrainian Official Outlines Three Conditions for “Normalizing” Relations with Georgia
David Arakhamia, leader of the “Servant of the People” faction in the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, outlined three steps that Georgia must take to “normalize relations” with Ukraine, including releasing from prison and returning to Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili (who is a Ukrainian citizen), suspending direct flights with Russia “as demanded by the Georgian people themselves,” and …
Tags: David Arakhamia, Ukraine
Prosecutor’s Office Asks Germany, Belgium to Extradite Wanted ex-Official
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia appealed to the competent agencies of Germany and Belgium to arrest and extradite UNM-era former Chief Prosecutor and Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili, who has been sentenced in absentia in Georgia on several criminal charges. The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Civil.ge the extradition request, adding that “the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, …
Tags: Belgium, EU, Germany, Ukraine, Zurab Adeishvili
Biden Administration Requests USD 117 Million Aid for Georgia in 2025
The fiscal year 2025 budget project by U.S. President Joe Biden’s Administration for the Department of State and USAID envisages USD 116.5 million in assistance to Georgia through multiple programs. The largest portion of this amount, USD 80 million, is requested to be disbursed to Georgia under Assistance to Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia, making …
Karasin Praises Bilateral Dialogue with Georgia, Says Russia Committed to Continue
Grigory Karasin, Head of the Russia’s Federation Council’s Committee on International Affairs, who is the Russian participant in the Georgian-Russian dialogue (informally known as the Karasin-Abashidze dialogue after the surnames of the two participants), told the Russian pro-government news agency TASS that he is convinced that “the positive results” achieved over the past 11 years …
Tags: Georgia-Russia relations, Grigory Karasin, Russia, Zurab Abashidze
The Daily Beat: 11 March
Supreme Court issued a statement denouncing the initiative to check the integrity of judges through an extraordinary “vetting” mechanism. In its statement, the Supreme Court said that a “vetting” mechanism would undermine the independence of the judiciary and the public trust in the judicial system, thus “facilitating political control” over the judiciary. In its 2023 …
Tags: Ahali, Death of Georgian fighter in Ukraine, EU Delegation to Georgia, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), German Embassy, Government Administration, Mikheil Sarjveladze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Supreme Court, Vetting, Zurab Abashidze, Zurab Adeishvili
Supreme Court Denounces Proposed ‘Vetting’ as Threat to Judicial Independence
The Supreme Court of Georgia denounced the initiative to check the integrity of judges through extraordinary “vetting” mechanism, arguing that it “would undermine the independence of the judiciary and the individual judges” as well as “the public trust towards judicial system”, thus “facilitating political control” over the judiciary. In its 2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy, the …
Tags: EU nine conditions, Supreme Court, Vetting
11/03/2024 - 18:03
Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia Present “Ahali” Political Alliance
Nika Gvaramia, founder of the opposition-leaning Mtavari Arkhi TV, together with Nika Melia, former Chair of the UNM, announced the formation of a new political alliance called “Ahali” (Georgian – ახალი, meaning “new”), which will contest the upcoming parliamentary elections under the number 4 on the electoral list. The two co-founders presented their political alliance …
Tags: Ahali, Elections 2024, New, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia
2023 FDI in Georgia at USD 1.595 Bln
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Georgia amounted to USD 1.595 billion in 2023, which is 24% less than the adjusted data of 2022, according to preliminary data released by the National Statistics Service of Georgia on March 11. The main reason for the decrease in FDI is considered to be the decrease in debt instruments. …
Government Statements Denounce Wanted Ex-Georgian Official Visits to Berlin, Brussels
The Georgian Government issued two separate statements on March 11 denouncing UNM-era former Chief Prosecutor and Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili’s inclusion in the official Ukrainian delegations to Brussels and Berlin. One statement was directed towards Ukrainian authorities, while the other responded to earlier statements on the issue made by the German Embassy in Tbilisi and …
Tags: EU Delegation to Georgia, German Embassy, Ukraine, Zurab Adeishvili
PM Kobakhidze Announces Government Administration Appointments
On March 11, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze appointed Levan Zhorzholiani as the new Head of the Government Administration. Nikoloz Tkemaladze was appointed Head of the Regional Relations Department, Giorgi Kajaia was appointed as a Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Relations with Russia, while Zurab Abashidze became the Prime Minister’s Advisor. Levan Zhorzholiani replaced …
Tags: Government Administration, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze
New Health Minister Appointed
Mikheil Sarjveladze was appointed as the new Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, replacing Zurab Azarashvili, who resigned from the post a week earlier. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced Sarjveladze’s appointment at a briefing on March 11. Mikheil Sarjveladze was a deputy from the party list …
Tags: Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Health, PM Irakli Kobakhidze, Zurab Azarashvili
Two More Georgian Fighters Killed in Ukraine
Two more Georgian fighters – Nodar Nasirovi and Giorgi Gogiashvili, have been killed in Ukraine, the military unit “Georgian Legion” reported on March 9. Both were members of the military unit which is made up of mostly ethnic Georgian volunteers fighting on the side of Ukraine, Both were Georgian citizens, the Georgian Foreign Ministry confirmed …
Tags: Georgian fighter, Georgian Legion, War in Ukraine
10/03/2024 - 15:56
Op-ed | How did we defeat the “Russian Law”?
Or, briefly about how we became the first country where people defeated the “foreign agents” law… It all started at the beginning of March 2022. Facing the street protests, the government of Georgia was compelled to submit an application to join the European Union and thus follow in the footsteps of Ukraine and Moldova. They …
Tags: Attack on CSOs, March Protests
09/03/2024 - 15:12
The Daily Beat: 8 March
Opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV reported that Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze ordered the demolition of the iron fence around the government administration building, which his predecessor, Irakli Garibashvili, erected to shield himself from “noisy” protesters. By Friday afternoon, an iron fence around the government administration building has been entirely removed. Commenting on the matter, Georgian Dream …
Tags: Adigeni, Council of Europe, Davit Khidasheli, Droa, EU Delegation to Georgia, Gia Volski, Government Administration, Inal Ardzinba, Mtavari Arkhi TV, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Zurab Adeishvili
Op-ed | March Protests: Why Did It Work?
I was standing in front of the First Classical Gymnasium on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue when a live tear gas canister, fired from a nearby street, fell at my feet. It was March 8, 2023, the second night of dramatic protests against the ruling party’s “foreign agents” law. Panic ensued, and the crowd began to rush …
Tags: March Protests
08/03/2024 - 22:44
Germany, EU React to GD Criticism Over Wanted Ex-Georgian Official Visit to Berlin, Brussels
The German Embassy in Tbilisi, and the EU Delegation to Georgia made statements about UNM-era former Chief Prosecutor and Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili’s visit to Berlin and Brussels as part of the the Ukrainian delegation, which led to harsh criticism from the Georgian authorities. Germany cited lack of legal ground for banning Adeishvili, while the …
Tags: EU Delegation to Georgia, German Embassy, Ukraine, Zurab Adeishvili
Between Two Russian Laws: A Year Since March Protests
One year has passed since the 2023 March protests against the Russian-styled “Law on Transparency of Foreign Funding,” also known as the “foreign agents law.” Facing a massive domestic and international outcry against the controversial draft, the ruling Georgian Dream majority rammed it through the first hearing on March 8. Tens of thousands of Georgians, …
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