The Daily Beat: 8 May
Parents of children diagnosed with achondroplasia (a genetic disorder whose primary feature is dwarfism) ended their 19-day, round-the-clock protest in front of the prime minister’s office. The decision came after health authorities promised to involve the parents in securing appropriate medication for their children. For almost three weeks, the parents demanded the state approve Vosoritide, the only existing drug for treating the condition, and allow social insurance to cover the costs.
Election watchdog, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), decried the draft law tabled by the ruling party on May 8, which would shift the right to nominate the chair and professional members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) from the President to the Chair of the Parliament. The watchdog said this would cement the ruling party’s grip on CEC and further reduce the powers of the Presidency. ISFED also said the amendments contradict the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations and 12 EU conditions.
New research fielded by Zink Network as a part of the USAID-funded anti-disinformation work, indicated conspiracy theories find traction in the Georgian population: 31% believe that the West provoked the war in Ukraine, while 25% disagree. According to the same poll, 29% buy with the ruling party narrative that the West is trying to drag Georgia into the war (47% do not). The research also revealed that while the country’s EU integration enjoys overwhelming support, Georgians are not enthusiastic about Georgia joining the EU sanctions against Russia.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and other government representatives attended the Europe Day event on 6 May, hammering home the nativist message: “I believe that Georgia will become a full member of the big European family and Georgia will enter Europe with its own traditions,” the prime minister said. PM Garibashvili struck the same chord in Budapest, where he addressed an ultra-conservative CPAC gathering and railed against the LGBT community and gender ideology.
The State Security Service announced it uncovered the Islamic State’s activities and detained a foreign citizen. It was unclear from the statement, whether the arrest took place in Georgia, but SSSG stressed that the obtained information was shared with international partners, including Turkey.
