The Daily Beat: 15 June
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili arrived in Brussels, where he met with Belgian and EU high officials, including Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Elliane Tillieux, President of the European Council Charles Michel and European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi. According to the prime minister’s press office, Irakli Garibashvili briefed Belgian and EU officials on successfully implementing 12 EU conditions, noting that most recommendations are already fulfilled. Prime Minister emphasized the government’s outstanding efforts to meet all 12 EU recommendations, noting the strategic importance of the EU candidacy status for the country.
Georgia’s EU membership prospect was reflected for the first time in a renewed National Security Strategy of Germany, noting that “The Federal Government supports the further integration, cohesion, and enlargement of the EU to include the countries of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and, in the longer term, Georgia.”
In response to the Voice of America inquiry on the Russia sanctions topic, the US State Department commented that the full enforcement of sanctions against Russia would not harm Georgia’s economy but hinder Russia’s destructive war in Ukraine. According to VoA, the US side praised Georgia’s finance ministry, Customs and Revenue Services, as well as Central Bank as excellent partners in thwarting Russia’s efforts to circumvent sanctions. A few days ago, Jim O’Brien, Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the U.S. State Department, said that Georgia had been identified among five countries causing the sanctions’ circumvention problem.
According to the State Security Service, Russia’s occupation forces have resumed the borderization process, illegally installing metal poles and barbed wire near the village of Khurvaleti in Gori Municipality (vicinity of Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia occupation line). The State Security Service activated the EUMM hotline mechanism and informed the Co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions of the resumed borderization. Tbilisi also plans to raise the issue at the next Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting.
A Kutaisi bank robber was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment by the Kutaisi City Court for committing an armed robbery last year and taking hostages at the Bank of Georgia branch in Kutaisi. During the incident, the robber demanded a ransom of USD 2 million, a helicopter, and a Russian flag but was arrested by a special police unit. The Incident ended without casualties.
Adjara TV and Radio Public Broadcaster said that its employee, Koba Partenadze, was assaulted by an unidentified individual. The incident occurred at Radio Adjara. Speaking with journalists, Koba Partenadze confirmed that an unknown individual physically and verbally assaulted him, claiming his [unconventional] physical appearance caused the attack.
