The Daily Beat: 14 March
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze plans to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia in the coming days. According to PM Kobakhidze, this Saturday, he will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia a week later. “I will do my best to deepen bilateral relations and promote peace and stability in our region – South Caucasus,” Kobakhidze told journalists.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claims that the “vetting” system contradicts Georgia’s constitution as it may lead to the dismissal of lifetime judges. According to PM Kobakhidze, it is unacceptable to discredit judicial authorities, adding that “it is nobody’s business to check the integrity of Georgian judges.”
RFE/RL-Georgian Service reported that NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will visit three Caucasus countries in the coming days. According to RFE/RL, Stoltenberg will start his regional trip with a visit to Tbilisi, followed by visits to Baku and Yerevan. Speaking at a press conference, the Secretary-General confirmed his plans to visit Georgia shortly, stressing the importance of reform efforts in the context of the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The transfer of Bichvinta Dacha to Russia continues to spark protests and tensions in occupied Abkhazia. Recently, Abkhaz telegram channels published the Russian Foreign Ministry’s classified diplomatic note addressed to Abkhazia’s de facto foreign ministry, revealing Moscow’s intention to cancel a ban on transferring Bichvinta dacha to a third party. The Kremlin’s man in charge of occupied Abkhazia’s foreign relations, Inal Ardzinba, refuses to answer the questions of local journalists and desperately looks for a person responsible for publishing Moscow’s classified note.
RFE/RL-Georgian Service revealed that the U.S. denied former defense minister and founder of Formula TV Davit Kezerashvili‘s visa application, citing a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that implies suspicion of money laundering. According to RFE/RL, Kezerashvili challenged the U.S. State Department’s decision on visa denial in the District Court of Columbia and believes that this “denial” is related to the “slander campaign” of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Tamta Kalandadze, the mother of Lazare Grigoriadis, 22, who was arrested in connection with the March 7-9 protests last year for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at police and setting fire to a police car, says she has been denied visits with her imprisoned son. Meanwhile, Grigoriadis’ trial has been adjourned several times. The most recent session was postponed due to the judge being on vacation. The trial is now rescheduled for March 28.
