The Daily Beat: 9 January
An anti-occupation movement, “Power is in Unity,” which regularly monitors the occupation line and reports on the situation, shared pictures of new military trenches being dug on the occupied territory of the Tskhinvali region near the village of Gremiskhevi. The State Security Service later confirmed the borderization activity by Russian forces, adding that the hotline mechanism has been activated, and the EUMM has been informed about the “destructive acts.”
A group of Civil Society Organizations issued a joint statement on the government’s action plan (AP) to implement the European Commission’s recommendations under the EU candidate status. While acknowledging the approval of AP as a positive step, CSOs emphasized the lack of civic and parliamentary engagement during its development. The statement also indicated the absence of specific indicators across various sectors of AP and called on the government to base its policies on participation, dialogue, and openness.
The icon depicting Stalin that still decorates the Tbilisi Trinity Cathedral continues to fuel controversy and tension as videos circulating on social networks suggest it was painted blue as a sign of protest. Civic activist Nata Peradze was the first to post the video on her Facebook page, indirectly claiming “responsibility” for painting Stalin blue. The Interior Ministry said it has launched a probe into the matter, qualifying it as petty hooliganism.
Soviet Past Research Laboratory (SOVLAB) issued a statement condemning the placement of the Russian icon depicting Stalin in the Tbilisi Trinity Cathedral, saying it gravely insults the memory of victims of Soviet-Russian totalitarianism. In its statement, SOVLAB also reminded that Stalin was one of the main masterminds of Georgia’s soviet occupation, considering such attempts of his glorification as totally unacceptable and calling on the authorities to react.
In the meantime, Georgian media continues to explore the possible consequences of Ivanishvili’s third political comeback, suggesting that it may lead to a government reshuffle, including the prime minister. Some rumors are also circulating that Tbilisi City Mayor Kakha Kaladze might replace Irakli Garibashvili as prime minister before the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Data of the Day
According to the National Statistics Office, the annual inflation stood at 0.4% in December 2023, suggesting a monthly increase in consumer prices of 0.1%. The National Statistics Office reported that the annual inflation rate was primarily driven by price changes in miscellaneous goods and services (10.1% increase), transport (5.1% increase), food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.7% decrease), and healthcare (3.8% decrease). The monthly inflation rate was mainly driven by price changes in food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.9% increase), furnishings, household equipment, and maintenance (0.9% decrease), and clothing and footwear (1.1% decrease).
