The Daily Beat: 4 July
Yesterday, Saakashvili’s sickly and weak appearance as he attended the court hearing from afar caused a stir in and outside the country, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanding in the strongest terms his transfer to Ukraine (Saakashvili is a Ukrainian citizen) and instructing to summon the Georgian ambassador to Ukraine.
Echoing Volodymyr Zelensky, Moldova’s President, Maia Sandu, also took on Twitter, expressing disturbance by distressing images of Saakashvili. Moldova’s President urged the Georgian authorities to prioritize Saakashvili’s well-being and provide access to vital medical treatment abroad.
Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern over Kyiv’s decision to request the Georgian ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours for consultations. Foreign Ministry found the reason behind Kyiv’s decision particularly difficult to comprehend but pledged to continue supporting Ukraine during the war and refrain from further escalation.
According to the UNM parliamentary faction leader Tina Bokuchava, 46 MPs addressed Speaker Shalva Papuashvili in writing, requesting to explain why he was abusing his parliamentary power and preventing Georgian MPs from visiting President Saakashvili. She noted that none of the MPs had been able to visit Saakashvili for several months.
The leader of the ruling majority, Irakli Kobakhidze, presented a report on implementing 12 EU conditions, sayingall 12 priorities of the European Commission have been fulfilled in principle, and there is no reason for Georgia not to be granted candidate status. Before discussing the first point – depolarization, Irakli Kobakhidze summed up the fulfillment of the remaining 11 EU conditions, after which he answered the questions of TV journalists invited to the press conference.
Parliament adopted the draft law on amendments to the Georgian Law on Broadcasting, increasing the Board of Public Broadcasting members from 9 to 11 and allowing the National Communications Commission to submit two candidates to the Parliament. The Media Advocacy Coalition, a local watchdog, decried the amendments adopted by the ruling Georgian Dream party, saying it undermines the principles of independence and freedom of expression of the Public Broadcaster.
Parliament approved legislative amendments, expanding the mandate of the Regulation Agency for Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities of the Healthcare Ministry. The bill proponents say the amendments aim to enhance the Agency’s management capabilities and enable swift response to medical cases, ensuring timely investigations and improved access to quality healthcare.
