The Daily Beat: 13 February
President Salome Zurabishvili is set to participate in the Munich Security Conference scheduled for February 16-18 without government approval, reported Radio Tavisupleba, relying on the information received from the President’s office. Last year, the ruling Georgia Dream party launched an impeachment proceeding against Salome Zurabishvili for violating the Constitution by making foreign visits without the government’s consent.
The ruling Georgian Dream party criticized the president for yet another violation of the Constitution and downgraded its representation at the Munich Security Conference from the Prime Ministerial level to a Foreign Minister. According to the ruling party whip, Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Prime Minister’s first foreign visit will be in Brussels, as this is the government’s political statement. In previous years, Georgia was represented at the Munich Security Conference at the level of the prime minister.
The latest edition of the Munich Security Report 2024 describes Bidzina Ivanishvili as “the pro-Russian oligarch and founder of Georgia’s governing party.” According to the report, Bidzina Ivanishvili is identified as responsible for Georgia’s recent democratic backsliding and moving away from the EU, against the wishes of the Georgian public. Apart from the role of Ivanishvili, the report also highlights Russia’s tactic of using threats of “fueling separatism in Abkhazia and South Ossetia [occupied Tskhinvali region] to sow stability.
The Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, citing the database of Russia’s Interior Ministry, reveals the list of foreign individuals wanted by Russian authorities on various charges. Mediazona reports that Georgia tops the list with its 100 citizens fighting on the Ukrainian side in Russia’s war of aggression in the category Foreigners in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, followed by the UK, Belarus, Israel, and the United States. Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, Georgian MP, Aleko Alisashvili, and the leader of the anti-occupation movement, Davit Katsarava, are also listed in the wanted database of Russia’s Interior Ministry.
Last week, the Abkhaz telegram channels circulated the draft agreement on cooperation between the Russian Federal Service of National Guard Troops (RosGvardia) and the so-called interior ministry of Abkhazia, which sparked concerns about the “interference in internal politics” and “loss of sovereignty” among the local population in Abkhazia. The Abkhaz opposition expressed worries that the real reason behind the agreement may be the necessity to disperse protest rallies by force and protect investment projects by the Russian side, calling the de facto interior minister not to sign the agreement. Later, occupied Abkhazia’s interior minister claimed that the agreement wouldn’t be concluded.
USAID’s Assistant to the Administrator (AtA) of the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG), Shannon N. Green, visited Georgia, where she met with the Speaker of the Parliament, Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), and the elections-focused civil society organizations. According to the official press releases, the US-Georgia strategic partnership and preparations for the 2024 parliamentary elections were among the main topics of the discussions. The USAID official reiterated U.S. support for Georgia’s efforts to ensure free and fair parliamentary elections.
The Data of the Day
The National Statistics Office (Geostat) published express data indicating that Georgia’s external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) decreased by 14.9% in January 2024 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, amounting to USD 1,339.8 million. According to Geostat, Georgia’s external merchandise trade saw exports rise by 26.3% to USD 338.2 million, while imports increased by 10.2% and totaled USD 1,001.6 million.
