The Daily Beat: 20 November
President Salome Zurabishvili met with Anton Hofreiter, Chairman of the European Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag, who is visiting the South Caucasus. During the meeting, the sides discussed the October 26 parliamentary elections, the president’s plan to overcome the political crisis, and Russia’s hybrid warfare in Georgia. Zurabishvili reiterated the Georgian people’s commitment to EU integration and that there is no alternative to the country’s European path.
At a daily press briefing, Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. State Department “will continue to take other policy actions as appropriate” regarding Georgia. “We have already suspended assistance as a result of that review. So it’s not like the review is ongoing and nothing has happened. We have already taken policy actions as part of that review, and we will continue to take other policy actions as appropriate,” the Spokesperson Miller said.
Georgian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili visited Hong Kong, where they met with various high-level officials responsible for transport, logistics, commerce, and economic development. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, during the meetings, the Georgian side emphasized the country’s investment and business environment, particularly in the areas of transport and logistics, innovation, tourism, and trade.
Davit Kirtadze, the representative of the opposition United National Movement party in the Central Election Commission, was fined 500 GEL ($182) for splashing black ink on the chairman of the CEC, Giorgi Kalandarishvili during the announcement of the final summary protocol of the parliamentary elections. The judge considered the case on an expedited basis.
Professors and academic representatives gathered at Tbilisi State University to condemn the violent dispersal of a peaceful rally on November 19 through the misuse of university premises by police units – while the doors of the university were closed to protesting students. In a public statement – signed by 450 people – they condemned the TSU’s involvement in this process and demanded the resignation of the TSU’s Rector Jaba Samushia.
The Special Investigation Service started an investigation under the first and second clauses of Article 154 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, “Unlawful interference with the professional activities of a journalist”, into the illegal obstruction of the journalistic activities of employees of various TV companies during the rally on Chavchavadze and Melikishvili Avenues. More updates on election-related developments can be found in our 2024 Elections Live Blog.
Another Georgian soldier, Zurab Shvangiradze, died in Ukraine after nearly two months in the hospital. His comrade, Koka Murachashvili, told RFE/RL’s Tbilisi Burau that Shvangiradze was injured while carrying out a military mission on the road to Bakhmut in early September. This latest report raises the unofficial death toll of Georgian citizens who have died fighting in Ukraine to 59 since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022.
