August 2008: Russian Invasion

News

    12/08/2022 - 17:08

    Consultative Council of European Judges Addresses Justice Ministry

    The Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE), an advisory body to the Council of Europe, released a statement on 11 August that criticized the Georgian Ministry of Justice’s announcement of a new competition for selecting the Georgian member of the CCJE and stated that “the unplanned and hasty announcement of…
    12/08/2022 - 16:11

    Tskhinvali Leader Dismisses Defense Head

    Kremlin-backed Tskhinvali leader Alan Gagloev dismissed the “minister of defense” Vladimir Pukhaev and “deputy minister” Igor Alborov on 12 August. Tskhinvali-based RES cited Gagloev’s press secretary Natalya Bosikova as saying that the decision is related to the “incident involving the beating of a citizen of South Ossetia…” The incident referred…
    12/08/2022 - 15:36

    Parliamentary Delegation Visits South Africa

    A Georgian Parliamentary Delegation led by Nikoloz Samkharadze, Foreign Relations Committee Chairperson, is visiting South Africa where they met with Amos Masondo, chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, the upper house of the South African Parliament. Per the Georgian Parliament’s press release, while meeting with Chairperson Masondo and other…
    12/08/2022 - 15:00

    Georgia Celebrates Anniversary of Didgori Victory

    Georgia marked today on August 12 the 901 anniversary of the Battle of Didgori, which led to the Georgian reconquest of Tbilisi from the 400-years-long Arab rule and the unification of Georgia under the Bagrationi dynasty. The battle took place at Didgori valley, some 40 km away from Tbilisi, with the…
    12/08/2022 - 13:31

    Russian Economic Minister Visits Abkhazia

    Maksim Reshetnikov, the Russian Minister of Economic Development, arrived for a visit to occupied Abkhazia on 11 August where he met with the region’s Kremlin-backed leader Aslan Bzhania, among other officials. While meeting with Reshetnikov, Bzhania’s press service reported that the pair discussed avenues for economic development with Reshetnikov positively…
    12/08/2022 - 12:08

    Khelvachauri Military Conscription Head Detained for Bribe

    On 11 August the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) announced that employees of its anti-corruption agency arrested Tengiz Kikava, head of the military registration, conscription, and mobilization service of Khelvachauri village in Adjara, for taking a bribe alongside several others. Per the investigation, Kikava was contacted by the former…
    12/08/2022 - 11:51

    For Georgia Party Expels 2 Members Recruited by Ruling Party

    Berdia Sichinava, a member of ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party, announced on 11 August that his party dismissed two Khobi Municipality Local Council (Sakrebulo) members, Nugzar Shushania and Maka Chartia, for taking bribes from and being recruited by the ruling Georgian Dream party. In the press conference, Sichinava…
    11/08/2022 - 17:36

    TI – Georgia Reveals Risks of Corruption in Adjara State Procurement

    Transparency International – Georgia, a civil society organization, published a report on 11 August that analyzed state procurements carried out by the government and municipalities of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and found that the practice of subcontracting in tenders is unregulated and “increases the risks of corruption in the…
    11/08/2022 - 16:39

    Former SSG Deputy Head Alleges Ivanishvili Threatened His Family

    Ioseb (Soso) Gogashvili, former deputy head of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) currently in pretrial detention, released a letter from prison on 11 August alleging that ruling Georgian Dream founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, threatened him with the “destruction of his family” if Gogashvili “does not stop” what he is…
    11/08/2022 - 13:38

    Georgia in Int’l Trade in Services 2021

    The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) published its first report on preliminary data regarding Georgia’s international trade in services in 2021. Trade in services refers to trade between residents and non-residents that is not related to the physical movement of goods across the border. According to the preliminary data…

    Features

      04/08/2022 - 17:18

      In Stalin’s Growing Shadow

      The mood was solemn on 30 July at a dilapidated house in central Tbilisi, as speaker after speaker from Soviet…
      24/05/2022 - 12:00

      Taming the Garden: You Haven’t Seen It All

      Nini Gabritchidze was the author of The Dispatch. She is now a freelance journalist. Lately, Georgians have been rushing to…
      24/07/2021 - 13:43

      Redjeb Jordania Obituary

      Redjeb Jordania died on July 15, 2021, almost 100 years after his birth in the French town of Vanves in…
      16/11/2019 - 00:12

      In Photos: Civil.ge Joins EUMM Patrol, Visits Occupation Line

      On Wednesday, November 13, together with his colleagues, Civil.ge’s Otar Kobakhidze joined the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) patrols to…
      26/03/2018 - 13:11

      Reclaiming Georgia’s Feminist Heritage

      The sun and colors of early Tbilisi spring in the air, a colorful group gathers at the stairs of the…
      10/07/2017 - 14:13

      Women affected by Abkhazia’s abortion ban

      A year and a half after Abkhazia banned abortion, reportedly to increase the number of births, reports of women’s deaths…

      Opinion

        01/07/2022 - 19:48

        Interview | Damon Wilson, President of the National Endowment for Democracy

        In Tbilisi today, Civil Georgia’s Editor-in-Chief Otar Kobakhidze sat down with Damon Wilson, the President, and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy to discuss Georgia’s EU and NATO integration, the role of civil society and independent media for the Georgian democracy, as well as…
        16/05/2022 - 15:56

        Interview | Head of EUMM Georgia Talks Abkhazia, S. Ossetia

        Ambassador Szczygieł, we are speaking today as Russia continues its full-scale attack on Ukraine for more than two months, which has brought seismic shifts to the entire region. In light of this war, what is the security environment on the ground across both Abkhazia and…
        13/05/2022 - 15:38

        Editorial | Pawning the Country

        The rapidity and zeal with which the Georgian Dream leaders and pundits rushed to the defense of their patron, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s private assets and riches, show that Georgia is not that much Ivanishvili’s political project, but his collateral in the international game – both an…
        03/03/2022 - 11:13

        ‘Fear & Apathy’: Pundits on Georgian Govt’s Steps amid Ukraine War

        The Georgian Dream government has attracted widespread criticism for what many — both at home and abroad — regarded as their half-hearted stance during Russian aggression against Ukraine. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s clear-cut rejection of joining international sanctions against Russia and alleged obstruction of a…
        02/02/2022 - 19:15

        Waiting for Resettlement – IDPs from Georgia and Azerbaijan

        More than thirty years have passed since the armed conflicts swept the South Caucasus. Amid the dramatic breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, dozens of ethno-political conflicts emerged in the former Soviet states. The nations living in the South Caucasus — once seen as…
        14/01/2022 - 18:04

        U.S.-Russia Talks: What Are Georgia’s Options?

        As the United States engages the Russian Federation concerning the Kremlin’s ultimatum aiming to change the configuration of European security, Georgia is among the countries whose fate is being decided. The process is likely to be drawn out, with the possibility of escalations that may…
        04/10/2021 - 20:25

        Pundits Talk Key Takeaways from Local Elections

        Two days after October 2 municipal elections, discussions continue over key takeaways from the vote and the less anticipated outcomes. The Georgian Dream party scored well above 43%, a number widely suggested as a threshold for its legitimacy after the EU-brokered April 19 deal, while…
        12/07/2021 - 15:58

        Georgia Lurches Towards Illiberalism

        “The times when the minority decided the fate of the majority are gone,” said Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili today, saying he will only listen to the will of “95% of the population.“ “Stop threatening and scaring me and the majority of this country with the…
        05/07/2021 - 10:35

        Ministers Reflect | Ketevan Bochorishvili (MESD 2012-2017)

        Ministers Reflect is a new interview series on “how to be effective in government”, following a model developed by the Institute for Government in London. The series seeks to capture – in former ministers’ own words – what it takes to be an effective government…
        22/04/2021 - 14:11

        Q&A | The Deal is Signed: What now?

        After months of the deepening political crisis that followed the October 31 parliamentary elections, the ruling Georgian Dream and part of the boycotting opposition MPs signed the EU-mediated compromise on April 19. Yet, controversies persist: the United National Movement, the opposition party that got most…
        18/04/2021 - 12:17

        Opposition Politicians on Namakhvani HPP Protests

        Thousands have been protesting in western Georgia against the construction of the Namakhvani Hydropower Plant on the Rioni River for months now. The project encompasses two separate HPPs of 333 MW and 100 MW on the Rioni River. The Government of Georgia hopes to enhance…
        16/04/2021 - 22:25

        Interview | On the Soviet Past, Myths and Relevance

        The centennial anniversary of the Soviet occupation induced discussion in Georgia about the Soviet past, distinctly demonstrating that the opinions about the Soviet Union still differ in the society. As some experts argue, the Soviet Georgia is a largely understudied topic that requires a deeper…

        Analysis

        The Dispatch

        • The Dispatch
          20/07/2022 - 12:50
          145

          Dispatch | 12-19 July: Credit due

          In Georgia, another week has passed. As the international order is consumed in the flames of Russia’s atrocious aggression in Ukraine, and as Europe burns in the throes of the climate change whose catastrophic effects…

        • The Dispatch
          13/07/2022 - 07:00
          86

          Dispatch | 6-12 July: And then they wrote…

          Apparently summer is the time, when Georgian politicians sharpen their quills and go on to write long, winding letters full of intrigue and surreptitious adulation. Much like the protagonists of the legendary novel of Pierre…

        • The Dispatch
          08/07/2022 - 06:56
          90

          Dispatch | July 5-6: What’s the story?

          As the week progressed, the extent to which the Georgian politics is disconnected from reality became painfully apparent. The linguistic flip-flops and other acrobatics of the ruling party have little to do with politics, let…

        Op-ed

          17/06/2022 - 11:53

          Opinion | Georgia’s Yanukovich Moment

          Author: Ted Jonas is an international lawyer and environmental activist who has lived in Georgia for many years. Georgia is having a Yanukovich moment. That time when the government of Ukraine in 2013-2014 got orders from Moscow to drop the EU association process. The government…
          26/05/2022 - 10:59

          EU Should Not Heed the Calls to Differentiate Associated Trio’s Applications

          Irakli Sirbiladze is a Foreign Affairs analyst, holding an MA degree in International Relations from Queen Mary University of London. His wider research interests include International Relations Theory, Georgian Foreign Policy and Russian Foreign Policy. As Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova – three Associated Trio nations…
          22/05/2022 - 14:09

          Op-ed | Refeudalization rather than Polarization

          Hans Gutbrod is a long-time analyst of Georgia and the Caucasus. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics. He is on Twitter at @HansGutbrod. With the jailing of Nika Gvaramia, we should bury once and for all the term…
          28/03/2022 - 17:47

          Putin’s Playbook in Ukraine Is a Century Old

          Largely ignored in the discussion of Russia’s strategy in its war on Ukraine is the story of what may have been the first successful conquest of a foreign country by the Soviet Union.  Vladimir Putin, who is obsessed with history, is certainly familiar with this…
          18/02/2022 - 19:24

          Where Abkhaz Students (Can’t) Study?

          Author: Giorgi Kanashvili, peace and conflict specialist I have been part of Georgian-Abkhaz dialogue for fifteen years now. One of the topics the Abkhaz constantly raise is about Tbilisi isolating Abkhazia from the West, and pushing them to look for alternatives. In this region, one…
          02/02/2022 - 20:05

          Op-Ed | Local Governance Reform Can Strengthen Georgian Democracy from the Ground Up

          By Peter Wiebler, USAID/Georgia Mission Director Last year’s local elections were held under difficult circumstances, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic and a tense environment before and during election day. Despite these factors, voter turnout was 52%, significantly higher than in the previous local elections. This…
          30/11/2021 - 18:03

          Farewell | 4 Years of Representing NATO in Georgia

          Author: Rosaria Puglisi, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia It’s time to pack my bags and say my good-byes. After four memorable years, my term as the Head of the NATO Liaison Office (NLO) in Georgia is coming to an end. During…
          21/11/2021 - 10:00

          Op-Ed | Georgian Dream Deliberately Frustrates Western Friends

          By Jelger Groeneveld, Dutch D66 party, Board Member International Cooperation Division Friday would have marked the 50th day of Mikheil Saakashvili’s hunger strike in state captivity, amidst mounting concerns of his health condition and refusal of government authorities to transfer the former president to a…
          01/09/2021 - 16:09

          Perilous Choice: Georgia’s COVID Elections

          Laura Thornton is director and senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund. Previously, she was director of global programs at International IDEA, a Stockholm-based intergovernmental think-tank with the mission to advance democracy. She has also led the National Democratic…
          25/07/2021 - 21:40

          Tribune |”Sack me if you can!”

          Zaal Andronikashvili, Ilia State University/Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research. This article first appeared (in Georgian) on the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Georgian service page. It has been insignificantly adapted by Civil.ge for an English-language audience. “Sack me, if you can!” gloated Vice Premier…
          24/07/2021 - 12:24

          Tribune | Wide Coalition Needed to Defend Democracy

          Levan Tsutskiridze is Executive Director of the Eastern European Center for Multi-party Democracy (EECMD) Georgia has witnessed unbelievable violence during the first week of July. The homophobic mob, egged on by the religious extremists that are entrenched in the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchy and encouraged by…
          19/07/2021 - 01:34

          The Falling Darkness

          by Regis Gente As the airplane of the European Council President Charles Michel touched down in Batumi, it was hard to shake off the feeling of déjà vu. Once again, the top European official visits Georgia immersed in a tense, almost intractable political crisis. Charles…

          Archives

            31/12/2019 - 15:12

            2019: The Year in Review

            2019 has been a year of political and security tribulations. No tangible progress has been reached on occupied territories as…
            31/12/2020 - 21:02

            2020 in Georgia: Year in Review

            To say that 2020 was an eventful year is an understatement. Like every other nation on the planet, Georgia has…
            31/12/2021 - 14:21

            2021 in Georgia: Year in Review

            In Georgia, 2021 was a tumultuous year of continued and new crises, but also a year of attempted solutions, many…

            Photo Stories

              03/07/2022 - 22:54

              Photo-story | Rally at the Parliament, Moves to GD Office

              Crowds started to gather, as the activists and opposition geared for their third reunion, calling for quicker accession to the…
              21/06/2022 - 13:23

              In Photos | Massive Pro-EU Rally in Tbilisi

              On June 20, tens of thousands of Georgians have rallied on Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare, to support Georgia’s accession…
              26/05/2022 - 16:45

              In Photos: Independence Day Celebration in Tbilisi

              Thousands of Georgians have flocked to Freedom Square and adjacent Rustaveli Avenue in downtown Tbilisi for Independence Day celebrations, to…
              24/05/2022 - 23:57

              In Photos: Georgians Supporting Ukraine

              Three months into Russia’s bloody war in Ukraine, ordinary Georgians all across the country continue hanging Ukrainian flags and colors…
              24/03/2022 - 11:14

              In Photos | Georgians Attend Grim Homecoming for Fighters Killed in Ukraine

              Dozens have waved Georgian and Ukrainian national flags and lit candles as flag-draped cases carrying remains of Gia Beriashvili and…
              02/03/2022 - 04:17

              In Photos: Sixth Day of Tbilisi For Ukraine

              Tbilisites hit the streets again on March 1 to support Ukraine, with many protesters also expressing dismay about the Georgian…
              27/02/2022 - 03:15

              In Photos: Third Day of Tbilisi for Ukraine

              On February 26, Tbilisites hit the streets to express solidarity to Ukraine as Ukrainian troops are fighting Russian advance on…
              26/02/2022 - 04:06

              In Photos: Thousands Rally for Ukraine, Against Garibashvili in Tbilisi

              On February 25, thousands have hit the streets in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia for the second day to show…
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