The Daily Beat: 5 March
Iceland’s President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson arrived on an official visit to Georgia, where he has already met with President Salome Zurabishvili, discussing Black Sea security, the situation in the occupied territories, including Russia’s intention to build a naval base in Ochamchire and the transfer of Sokhumi Airport to Russia. President Jóhannesson expressed Iceland’s full support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. While in Georgia, Iceland’s President will also meet with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.
President’s office confirmed to Civil.ge that President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed controversial amendments to the Electoral Code adopted by the parliament earlier in February. If passed, the amendments will alter the procedure for electing the chair and non-partisan members of the Central Election Commission (CEC), abolishing the position of Deputy Chair of the CEC, intended for the representative of the opposition. President Zurabishvili suggests reinstating the old law and returning to the President the power to form the Selection Commission and to present the candidates for the CEC chairmanship and professional members of the CEC.
Georgia is hosting the U.S.-led multinational special operations drills Trojan Footprint 2024, organized by the U.S. Special Operations Forces in Europe (US-SOCEUR). According to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, the U.S. and other NATO countries will work together during the two-week exercise to improve cooperation and coordination. Georgia is participating in the drills for the third time. The exercises are simultaneously taking place in Romania, Greece, and Georgia. Special forces from the U.S., UK, Romania, Poland, and Spain are participating in the component hosted in Georgia, the defense ministry said in an official announcement.
Twelve local CSOs addressed the EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, “to consider the possibility of preparing an interim evaluation report on Georgia” on its progress in meeting the nine conditions set for Georgia by the European Commission last November. In a joint address, the CSOs emphasized that such a report would help them identify the specific problems Georgia faces on its path to European integration, allowing them to push the government to implement the nine conditions.
“The Data” of the Day
Citing the assets declaration, RadioTavisupleba reported that a lifetime judge of the Supreme Court, Giorgi Mikautadze, received USD 50,000 as a gift from his mother in 2023. Mikautadze’s asset declaration also reveals that the size of maternal gifts shrunk twofold compared to 2022 since, in 2022, he received USD 100,000 from his mother. According to the certificate provided to RadioTavisupleba by the Supreme Court’s press service, Mikautadze’s mother has been working as a consultant at JSC “Bakhtrioni” since February 4, 2019, and receives more than USD 8000 monthly income.
