The Daily Beat: 8 June

Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili criticized the role of the U.S. mission under retiring Ambassador Dunnigan, stating that the public should “draw their own conclusions” about how “such an embassy” could contribute to improving U.S.-Georgia relations. She also asserted, “The U.S. now has the opportunity to appoint a new representative to Georgia, which means we can start our relations with a clean slate.”

Anna Dolidze’s For People party has withdrawn from the Lelo-led opposition coalition, Strong Georgia, which it joined last summer ahead of the parliamentary elections. Dolidze announced that her party will shift its focus back to its own agenda. She explained that they initially joined the Strong Georgia coalition to “prevent Bidzina Ivanishvili from stealing your votes and harming Georgia’s European path.”

The Georgian Dream faction in Georgia’s one-party parliament is filing a complaint with the Interior Ministry against its critics over what it considers “insults” made in public space, including on social media, against them. “Foreign-funded extremists intimidate, bully, and insult our families. This widespread issue compels us not only to respond but to see it as our obligation,” said GD MP Irakli Kirtskhalia.

Tbilisi City Court sent activist Ucha Kemashvili to ten days of administrative detention for disobeying police orders, but the activist and his supporters believe the arrest is linked to Kemashvili burning the ruling party’s flag outside the parliament building. Kemashvili actively participates in anti-government protests and is often seen distributing alucha (a green plum native to Georgia) to demonstrators.

Irakli Purtseladze has been appointed to lead the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), a position that has been vacant for nearly three years. He succeeds Amiran Gamkrelidze, who resigned in August 2022 after leading national efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Gamkrelidze’s resignation, First Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia briefly served as the acting head before NCDC Deputy Director Paata Imnadze took over in an acting capacity.