The Daily Beat: 31 March
On March 31, the anniversary of Georgia’s 1991 independence referendum, thousands of demonstrators gathered on Rustaveli Avenue for a massive protest under the slogan “The People’s Spring is Coming.” Protesters continue to demand new elections and the release of all those unlawfully detained during the repressions, pledging to revive the demonstrations with renewed vigor with the arrival of spring.
President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the rally, declaring that the resistance must “take on a political format” in addition to the ongoing protests. She proposed the creation of a “Platform of Resistance” with the participation of the pro-European political spectrum to achieve two main goals of “the holding of new, fair elections” and “the release of all political prisoners.”
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also mentioned the 34th anniversary of the referendum that restored Georgia’s independence, calling it an extremely significant day for the country. He added that Georgia is “…now more independent and sovereign than ever before.”
At a GD government meeting, Irakli Kobakhidze announced plans to expand the powers of the government administration. He proposed the creation of a new department focused on government efficiency, inspired by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Elon Musk’s supervision. According to Kobakhidze, the Georgian version of DOGE will oversee the implementation of all government decisions.
GD Parliament’s Sectoral Economy and Economic Policy Committee has approved a draft law that would ban broadcasters from receiving foreign funding, moving it to a final vote in the legislature. The proposal by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is expected to pass this week, would amend the Broadcasting Law to prohibit direct or indirect foreign financing.
French photojournalist Jérôme Chobeaux, who has been covering anti-regime protests in Tbilisi, was denied entry into the country on March 31. “Couldn’t get past the airport and back on the plane… thanks for your messages,” Chobeaux wrote in an Instagram story.
On March 30, the State Security Service of Georgia announced that Irakli Bebua, a Georgian citizen from the occupied Gali district, has been released and is safe under central government control. Bebua was arrested on September 30, 2020, by Russian-backed Abkhaz authorities for burning a flag banner depicting Abkhaz flag symbols and sentenced to 9 years in December 2020, but he was imprisoned for 4 years and 6 months.
Flight of the Day
British Airways has launched direct flights between London and Tbilisi. Today, the British Airways A320 aircraft with 156 passengers on board made its first flight and landed at Tbilisi International Airport, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development reported. The airline will operate direct regular flights on the London-Tbilisi-London route 4 times a week.
The GD Prime Minister and the officials of the Economy Ministry believe that a direct air link between the UK and Georgia will boost tourism and mobility, calling it a historic day for the country’s aviation industry.