Eight local women rights activist groups, including Georgian Women’s Movement, Sapari and Equality Movement spoke about the “signs of gender discrimination” in the presidential campaign and called upon the contestants, among them the ruling party, to demonstrate gender sensitivity. In a statement released on November 16, local CSOs said that …

Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani’s comments that individual Georgian servicemen might be held accountable before the International Criminal Court drew fierce criticism from the opposition. Tsulukiani spoke on the ongoing ICC prosecution on November 14, in her interview with Imedi TV. The minister was responding to the earlier allegations by Nika …

Grigol Vashadze, presidential candidate of the United Opposition, a coalition led by the United National Movement, is touring the regions of Georgia, meeting with activists and supporters and presenting his policy priorities. The opposition candidate visited Batumi and Gori, after launching his runoff campaign in Kutaisi on November 4. Vashadze …

During the 1329th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies on November 14, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland presented his 18th consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia, which covers the period from April 18 – September 2018 and takes stock of the security and human rights …

The Central Election Commission (CEC) approved on November 14 the final vote tally of the first round of presidential elections. According to the CEC protocol, 1,647,878 voters turned out at polling stations on October 28, representing 46.83% of registered voters. 53,847 ballots were annulled, a much higher figure than in the …

The Parliament of Georgia discussed on November 13-14 the revised draft of the 2019 state budget, submitted by the government following the latter’s consideration of the legislature’s remarks drawn from the budget-related committee hearings. Budgetary revenues and expenditures in the 2019 state budget are set at GEL 10.4 billion and at GEL 9.6 billion, respectively. …

Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani visited Denmark on November 14-15 as part of his diplomatic tour to Scandinavian countries. Yesterday, he met with his Danish counterpart Anders Samuelsen, discussing “exemplary relations” between the countries. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, Samuelsen and Zalkaliani spoke about Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, its role in NATO missions and …

With 528 votes in favor, 97 against and 34 abstentions, the European Parliament adopted on November 14 a resolution on implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement. The resolution is based on the first implementation report produced by MEP Andrejs Mamikins (S&D, Latvia), which was debated at the plenary sitting yesterday. In the resolution, the European Parliament “warmly …

The second round of Georgia’s presidential election will be held on Wednesday, November 28, the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced on November 14. The decision was adopted with ten votes at the CEC sitting today. According to the election administration, a total of 3,705 polling stations will be opened for the …

Three leading election watchdogs – GYLA, TI Georgia and ISFED – urge the Central Election Commission not to set the date of the second round of presidential polls on a working day, and propose Saturday, December 1 as a preferred alternative. The organizations issued a statement on November 14 before …