The Daily Beat: 18 May
On May 16, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze attended the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana, where he met Aleksandar Vučić, Robert Fico, and Viktor Orbán. It was Irakli Kobakhidze’s first appearance alongside European leaders since the highly contested 2024 October general elections and the subsequent protests sparked by the ruling party’s decision in November 2024 to halt the country’s EU accession.
On May 17, the Georgian Orthodox Church marked the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents with marches across the country, including a major procession in Tbilisi. The ruling Georgian Dream party reportedly mobilized teachers and public servants for the events. GD officials and clergy highlighted the global struggle against “traditional values” and the need to defend Georgian traditions against foreign influence.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization, said on May 15 that the ruling Georgian Dream party abruptly withdrew its support for his reelection bid after he hired Tea Maisuradze, Georgia’s recently resigned Ambassador to the Czech Republic, to work on his election campaign. Pololikashvili mentioned that the hiring of Maisuradze caused “hysteria” within the Georgian Dream.
Vladimir Putin issued a decree simplifying the procedure for granting Russian citizenship to residents of the occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/ South Ossetia. Under the new rules, applicants from these occupied regions will no longer be required to meet standard requirements such as permanent residence in Russia, knowledge of the Russian language, or familiarity with Russian history.
The International Democracy Union (IDU) passed a resolution on May 16 in Brussels, attended by representatives from 80 parties in about 60 countries. The resolution condemns the Georgian Dream government’s authoritarian shift, repressions against civil society, and increasing alignment with Russia. It calls for international sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili and his associates while urging the government to set a date for free and fair parliamentary elections.
Eleven civil society organizations released a report detailing a crackdown on peaceful protesters in Georgia after the disputed 2024 parliamentary elections. Titled “Human Rights Crisis in Georgia After the 2024 Parliamentary Elections,” it documents severe human rights violations from November 28, 2024, to February 28, 2025, and holds the ruling Georgian Dream party and its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, responsible.
Lena Schilling, a member of the European Parliament from Austria (representing the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance), visited Georgia to attend the trial of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, the director of Batumelebi/Netgazeti. She sharply criticized the proceedings, labeling them as “political persecution,” and stated that the trial is a crucial test for Georgia’s European future. Amaghlobeli was arrested on January 12 for slapping Irakli Dgebuadze, the head of the Batumi Police Division, and she is charged with assaulting law enforcement officers.