The Daily Beat: 13 April
President Salome Zurabishvili postponed her much-anticipated visit to Strasbourg, where she was penciled in for a statement at the European Parliament on April 18. The president blamed the government for “artificially dragging out” issuing its consent for this visit. The government promptly refuted this, saying the paperwork was done on time and posted approval copies. The sniping between Zurabishvili and the cabinet became more acute after President addressed the Parliament, saying the government was ignoring its popular mandate for European integration.
Don’t miss a beat!
BBC investigation “The Billion Dollar Scam” is making waves in Georgia as it points the accusatory finger at David Kezerashvili, former defense minister and opposition media mogul, as a crucial personal link in a major international scheme to defraud European pensioners. Kezerashvili has been convicted of embezzlement in absentia by the Georgian court. He was also mentioned by the ruling party as the potential target of the planned “de-oligarchization law,” which – opposition claims – is an attempt to kill off the opposition-minded TV Formula that Kezerashvili co-owns.
Salome Zurabishvili used her Presidential prerogative to pardon ten inmates in a traditional Easter gesture. Contrary to some optimistic expectations, Nika Gvaramia, opposition TV manager, is not on that list. Public Defender said last December that “political motivation was clear” in Gvaramia’s jailing.
Georgia’s Finance Minister met the U.S. official in charge of Russia sanctions to discuss the measures and Georgia’s compliance. The Georgian minister and U.S. ambassador touted “very good cooperation.” Ukraine accused Tbilisi of helping Russia to sidestep some of the sanctions, while Washington and Tbilisi have been at loggerheads over the recent sanctioning of the Georgian judiciary for corruption.
Political conspiracies are swirling in Abkhazia as the miscreants took a chainsaw to the totemic linden tree, considered the “spiritual symbol” of the Abkhaz nation. Scientists are rushing in with advice to save the endangered specimen.
In a long Twitter thread, the jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny apologized for the racial slur against Georgians in 2008 and called for the conditional release of Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s ailing, imprisoned former president, in the spirit of Easter reconciliation.
Georgia’s statistical office said merchandise trade was up 22.1% in January-March, compared to the corresponding period of 2022. The trade deficit stood at 38.9% of the overall trade turnover.
