The Daily Beat: 22 November
President Salome Zurabishvili met with students and youth representatives, expressing gratitude for their staunch support for the country’s European future and highlighting their crucial role in securing positive EC opinion on Georgia’s EU candidate status. “If it had not been for the March demonstrations or the European flags seen in Georgia from Europe, and if it had not been for this great wave of freedom, perhaps they would not have made this decision. So, thank you very much for your contribution,” said the president, adding that there is still a long way to go and much more to be done. She also called on students and youth representatives to sign the petition on Georgia’s EU integration.
The European Parliament is set to put on the vote the motion for a resolution on the “Killing of Georgian citizen Tamaz Ginturi by the Russian occupation forces in the occupied Tskhinvali region of Georgia.” In the resolution, the MEPs condemn the murder of a Georgian citizen and demand a thorough investigation of the case, punishment of the perpetrators, and the release of the citizens held captive by the occupying forces. MEPs also express their support for the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Interior Ministry reported that the police officers injured during the March protests had urged President Salome Zurabishvili not to pardon Lazare Grigoriadis. The ministry’s legal department supported the appeal. According to the MIA, the officers appealed to the President after repeated reports that Lazare Grigoriadis’ family members and human rights defenders had appealed to Salome Zurabishvili for a pardon. Lazare Grigoriadis’ arrest is considered controversial and seen as system retaliation against youth and civic activists participating in the March rallies.
Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze attended the South-Eastern Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) in Ankara. According to the Defense Ministry, during the working session, Minister Burchuladze spoke of the defense modernization process in Georgia, the country’s participation in the ongoing SEDM projects, the importance of the EU candidacy, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Georgia joined the South-Eastern Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) in 2015. The initiative aims to enhance collaboration among regional countries, foster security and peace, and integrate the region into Euro-Atlantic structures.
The Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP) published a policy paper entitled “De-risking Russia: Pathways to Enhanced Resilience for Georgia,” highlighting the divergence in risk perceptions among experts, the Georgian government, and the population. Despite differences, a policy paper suggests that all stakeholders identify Russia as the main risk to Georgia. However, the report notes that despite identifying Russia as the “main political and security danger” in the strategic documents, “the actual policy is directed towards appeasing Russia and engaging with it economically.”
