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The Daily Beat: 18 January

President Salome Zurabishvili expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic helicopter accident in Brovary, a Kyiv suburb, that claimed the lives of 15 people, including Ukraine’s Minister of Interior. Tbilisi Mayor Kakhi Kaladze also twitted words of solidarity to his “Ukrainian friends.”


Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, commended the Georgian government’s “courage” in defying the Western insistence to impose sanctions on Russia. To ask the leading question at the Foreign Ministry press conference, Lavrov gave the floor to Alt-Info, a pro-Russian outfit that peddles hate towards ethnic minorities, the West, and LGBTQ groups. Alt-Info was implicated in pogroms in Tbilisi on July 5, 2021 pogroms that left scores of journalists and rights activists injured.


The European Court of Human Rights sent questions to the Georgian government as it considers the case of the July 5, 2021, pogroms. The claimants from 16 media organizations say the authorities failed to prevent violence and adequately punish the organizers.


Civil servants routinely amplify the ruling party propaganda, Myth Detector, a fact-checking platform, found. This is after checking the distribution patterns of the attack ads by a page called Sinamdvileshi (In fact) – a page maintained by the communications department of the ruling Georgian Dream. The posts – paid by the party – label political opponents, activists, and journalists as sexists, xenophobes, hate groups, etc., without tangible proof, the report says.


Tbilisi City Court heard another testimony on Mikheil Saakashvili’s health. Dr. James Cobey, an orthopedic surgeon from the U.S., confirmed that Saakashvili is “seriously ill,” suffering from arthritis and intervertebral disc damage. Dr. Cobey stated for the court record that Saakashvili “will not be able to walk unless multiple surgeries are performed.” Several medical specialists from various fields have so far testified to imprisoned former president’s grave health. The Court will reconvene on January 20.


Dust from the Karakum Desert will considerably worsen the air quality in Tbilisi and its surroundings starting January 18, the National Environment Agency of Georgia warned.

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