The Daily Beat: 4 October

Following the reactions from the US Embassy in Tbilisi and the USAID-Georgia, Principal Deputy Spokesman of the US State Department, Vedant Patel, also dismissed the Security Service’s allegations against one of the USAID-funded projects, describing them as “false” and “fundamentally mischaracterize the goals of [US] assistance to Georgia.” “As always, our assistance is transparent. And we will continue to support Georgian organizations that work to secure fundamental rights provided by the Georgian constitution and Georgia’s international commitments and obligations,” – said Vedant Patel.

The IMF Spokesperson told the Voice of America (VoA) that the IMF-supported stand-by arrangement with Georgia is delayed rather than suspended. According to the Spokesperson, the approval of the second review has been postponed due to the IMF’s disapproval of the change in the management structure and the recent decision on amendments to the sanctions regulations of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), adding it “raises concerns about financial stability, which is the primary objective of this program.”

The leader of Russia-occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, visited Sochi, holding meetings with President Vladimir Putin, his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials. According to the TASS news agency, the de facto Abkhaz leader fully supported Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine during the meetings in Moscow. Before the closed bilateral meeting, President Putin spoke of increasing trade and economic interaction between the countries, stressing the importance of special socio-economic programs for Abkhazia. On a Sochi trip, Aslan Bzhania is accompanied by de facto foreign minister Inal Ardzinba.  

Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, who is visiting Strasbourg, met with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić. According to the foreign ministry, Minister Darchiashvili thanked the Secretary-General for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, emphasizing the need to ensure international mechanisms’ access to the occupied territories of Georgia.

Assailant of Misha Mshvildadze, a co-founder of the critical Formula TV, Nikoloz Gugeshashvili, is sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Tbilisi City Court, Mshvildadze’s attorney confirmed to Civil.ge. Gugeshashvili punched Mshvildadze in the face on June 27 and was apprehended the following day. Mshvildadze and Formula TV journalists claim that the security service was behind the incident, suggesting the presence of a security official at the scene.