The Daily Beat: 1 May
On Sunday, the ultra-conservative and pro-government movement “Here is Utsnobi” rallied on the republic square in Tbilisi, voicing anti-western, anti-LGBT, and anti-free-trade messages. Rally organizers thanked the Georgian Dream government for its tireless efforts to preserve the peace and not allow the malign foreign forces to drag Georgia into the war. Topics similar to Kremlin-style propaganda, such as the “unacceptability of ‘Parent #1 and Parent #2’ family arrangements”, featured prominently at the Sunday gathering. A few thousand people rally was not held without the ruling Georgian Dream party support as the ruling party’s secretary general and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze did not spare words of gratitude towards demonstrators for attending the rally despite an unusually chilly Sunday evening.
In his comment for the media, Kakha Kaladze blamed the West for punishing Georgia for not imposing sanctions against Russia, not joining the war effort, and not “opening the second front.” Kakha Kaladze believes that Georgia did not receive the EU candidate status due to its refusal to join the sanctions against Russia. However, he thinks the country is well ahead of Ukraine and deserves the EU candidacy. Tbilisi Mayor’s comment was widely spread by Russian state media outlets such as TASSS and RBK.
As ultra-conservative movements try to gain new momentum in the country following the failed attempt to pass the “foreign agents” bill, the Party of European Socialists (PES) readies to reconsider its already crumbling cooperation with the Georgian Dream, which enjoys observer status in the PES. The PES is concerned about the latest actions and statements of the Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili, who is scheduled to attend an ultra-conservative forum (CPAC) in Budapest this week and shares positions with the Hungarian Prime Minister. “If a Prime Minister from a PES Observer member party wants to share values with Viktor Orbán and the American Conservative Political Action Conference, then we need to discuss the status of this party officially,” Giacomo Filibeck, the PES Executive Secretary General, said during party discussion.
In its statement, the Finance Ministry denied allegations by “some media sources” of sanctions evasion. The Ministry reiterates that since the imposition of international sanctions against Russia, the country has fully complied with the established rules and monitored all types of customs operations at the border. Allegedly, the ministry issued its explanatory statement in response to the report broadcast by the TV Pirveli program produced by the Voice of America on transporting critical electronic items through Georgian territory to Russia.
Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Benin, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, and Saint Lucia to the UN are visiting Georgia. Reportedly, they will stay in the country until the end of the week. Diplomats have met with foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili and prime minister Irakli Garibashvili. Later they will be received by the president as well. According to the foreign minister, while in Georgia, Ambassadors will have an opportunity to explore Georgia’s experience in good governance, get acquainted with reforms, the EU integration process, and the country’s economic potential.
The state security service reported the detention of two Georgian citizens by Russian forces in the Dvani village near the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia occupation line. According to the state security agency, international partners and the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions were immediately informed of the incident. Security Service assures that all existing mechanisms are activated to ensure the prompt release of illegally detained persons.
In the meantime, the Georgian Dream predictably sailed to victory in Saturday by-elections held in 10 municipalities. Running uncontested, the ruling Georgian Dream party candidates overwhelmingly won in all ten municipalities, receiving 100% votes in some and almost 100% in others.
