The Daily Beat: 22 June
President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned the founder and director of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV, Nika Gvaramia. In her pardoning announcement, the president did not explain the reasons behind her decision, saying that she acted within her discretionary right. Mtavari Arkhi TV family, opposition politicians, and civic activists welcomed the president’s decision. On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld Nika Gvaramia’s prison sentence, declaring cassation appeals inadmissible.
Governor Seyfullah Hacımüftüoğlu, Secretary General of the National Security Council of Turkey, visited Georgia, attending the Cyber Security Forum in Tbilisi and meeting with Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers responsible for foreign and security policy. Defense and security cooperation issues and regional security concerns were topping the Georgian-Turkish discussion agenda during the meetings in Tbilisi. The Georgian officials thanked the high-level Turkish guest for enhancing the country’s defense capabilities, security, and law enforcement agencies, stressing the need for further cooperation.
Acting head of Russia’s Federal Customs Service, Ruslan Davydov, was quoted as saying that Russia is breaking through the Western economic blockade, noting the special role of the Upper Lars checkpoint with Georgia. “I believe that this year we will exceed 15 million tons of turnover in the North Caucasus. Only in the Verkhny Lars has an increase in cargo turnover of more than 20%,” said Ruslan Davydov, calling “the Upper Lars [Zemo Larsi-Kazbegi border] a strategically important section of “North-South” transport corridor.
Following the European Commission’s long-awaited oral report on Georgia’s implementation of the EU’s 12 conditions, the opposition representatives negatively assessed the government’s records, saying there is no progress in implementing key reforms and authorities continue to pursue an anti-western stance. In the meantime, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili believes splitting Georgia from Ukraine and Moldova would be a strategic mistake and seems optimistic about the country’s EU candidacy status.
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), a human rights monitoring body of the Council of Europe, published its sixth cycle report on Georgia. Despite some progress since 2015, racism and intolerance against ethnic and religious groups, particularly against LGBTI persons, remains a problem, giving rise to concern, reads the ECRI report. The ECRI commended the government for swiftly addressing anti-Russian resentment and discriminatory treatment and praised a well-managed and warm welcome of Ukrainian refugees.
Irakli Miladze claims he was harassed and fined by the court for an invective-filled TikTok video targeting city authorities and public officials that use dedicated bus lanes illegally in Tbilisi. Miladze, who makes deliveries on his scooter, recorded and posted the video on TikTok in December last year, raging against Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze and the police for fining ordinary citizens like himself for crossing the bus lane but letting the tinted-windowed cars of the public and security officials go unpunished.
