The Daily Beat: 30 August
On August 29, the Georgian Constitutional Court began hearing the lawsuits against the Foreign Agents Law filed by President Zurabishvili, 121 civil society and media organizations, opposition MPs, and two journalists, which the Court had previously consolidated into a single case. The preliminary hearing will last until August 31.
The U.S. State Department Spokesperson categorically denied Russian allegations that the U.S. is planning a “color revolution in Georgia,” instead emphasizing U.S. support for Georgia’s development and its struggle against Russian aggression, according to DC correspondent Alex Raufoglu.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), in the case of Khachapuridze and Khachidze v. Georgia, found a violation of Article 6, parts 1 and 3 (c) and (d) of the European Human Rights Convention and ordered Georgia to pay the applicants EUR 1000-1000 in damages and EUR 3000 for costs and expenses. The court involves the acting judge Giorgi Mikautadze who is allegedly,one of the members of the infamous “judicial clan.“
Transparency International Georgia issued a statement on the Central Electoral Commission’s new decree, saying that the changes outlined undermine the transparency of the electoral process and violate the Election Code. According to the changes, the rules for drawing lots to distribute duties among commission members will be held one week before the election, rather than on election day as previously required.
Another Georgian citizen, Viktor Kipritidi, 49, was killed in the fighting in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry confirmed to Civil.ge on August 29. Viktor Kipritidi was an internally displaced person from the occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia, he was a professional soldier and fought in the Abkhazian War in the 1990s and the August War in 2008. This latest casualty brings to 56 the unofficial death toll of Georgian citizens who have died fighting in Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2021.
Independent opposition MP Teona Akubardia has joined former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia’s “For Georgia” party. According to Teona Akubardia, it is impossible to defeat Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream party without the participation and active involvement of Gakharia’s party. She also praised “For Georgia” for its moderate and decent stance.
The Russian state media suggests, citing the National Statistics Service, that occupied Abkhazia took the second place in the list of destinations visited by Russians this year. The number of visits by Russians amounted to 2.1 million, which is 2.5% more than in the same period of the last year. Visits to the rest of Georgia (except the occupied Tskhinvali region) also increased and amounted to 498.5 thousand – 31.3% more than last year.
The Russian governmental commission has approved ratification bills on eliminating double taxation between Russia and occupied Abkhazia. De facto authorities in Sokhumi claim, that the agreement will create conditions for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries in various areas and will help attract investments. The ratification of the agreement is expected before the end of this year.
