Ryanair enters Georgia, starts flights from Tbilisi
Georgia signs a deal with Irish lowcoster Ryanair, which will launch flights to various destinations from Tbilisi and later from Kutaisi airports, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development says. Tickets for a new route between Tbilisi and Milan Bergamo are already on sale on the carrier's website. Flights start on November 6 and will be operated 4 times per week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday [...]
Eight detained Georgians released by Tskhinvali regime
(IPN.) The de facto authorities of South Ossetia have released eight Georgian citizens detained on the occupation line. All of them are already in the territory controlled by Georgia’s central authorities. They were [...]
News
Several families in Georgia forced to leave their homes by Russian solders to make way for South Ossetia “border” fence
(Davit Katsarava/Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch--At least two families in Georgia were forced to leave their homes in a village near the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict line on Thursday. The families left after Russian troops approached [...]
Tbilisi court imposes strict bail conditions on former Rustavi 2 director in corruption trial
Nika Gvaramia at Tbilisi City Court. (1tv.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Tbilisi City Court has placed Nika Gvaramia under GEL 40,000 bail in a controversial corruption trial that the opposition calls politically motivated. Initially, the Prosecutor’s [...]
Georgia’s government and opposition trade accusations on 11th anniversary of Georgia-Russia war
Russian soldiers in Georgia in 2008. TBILISI, DFWatch--Members and supporters of Georgia's current and previous governments traded accusations on the 11th anniversary of the war between Russia and Georgia. Members of the incumbent [...]
Fundamental human rights continue to be violated: EU statement on August War anniversary
EU monitor in Georgia. (eeas.europa.eu) On the eve of 11th anniversary of Russo-Georgian War of 2008, the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia issues the statement saying that fundamental human rights of [...]
Tbilisi authorities ponder renaming Moscow Avenue
(PrimeTime.) On the eve of 11th anniversary of the 2008 August War between Russia and Georgia, Tbilisi city authorities are considering changing the name of Moscow Avenue. "I confirm that this issue is [...]
Tskhinvali closes “border” on the 11th anniversary of the August War
On the anniversary of the August war, the Tskhinvali regime temporarily closes the de facto border. The checkpoint, located near the village of Mosaburni (the so-called "Razdzhani" checkpoint), will close at 8 pm on Tuesday [...]
New study finds dangerous levels of toxins in the Black Sea
The cancerous substance benzo(a)pyrene, commonly found in soot, is present in the Black Sea in levels exceeding its toxicity threshold. TBILISI, DFWatch--The Black Sea contains toxic concentrations of several pollutants, a new study [...]
Another music festival in Georgia canceled after threats from priests
Orthodox priests demanded that the ruins must be protected from 'amoral' behavior. TBILISI, DFWatch--One more electronic music festival in Georgia has been canceled due to threats from clergy, this time in Kobuleti on [...]
Russian Duma to consider recognizing 1918-1920 Georgian-Ossetian conflict as a genocide
Vyacheslav Volodin in the Russian Duma. (RIA Novosti.) TBILISI, DFWatch--The lower house of Russia's parliament will soon decide whether to recognize the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in the early 20th Century as a genocide. "The [...]
Russia’s military superiority is visible but its status in Georgia continues to erode: Robert Hamilton
Robert Hamilton. (VoA) Voice of America’s Georgian Service’s Anna Kalandadze talked to Robert Hamilton, Professor of Eurasian Studies at the US Army War College in Washington about trending topics in current-day Georgia. VoA: [...]
Europe and Georgia
PACE to discuss dismissing its president in October
PACE President Pedro Agramunt. (Council of Europe.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will discuss a proposal to dismiss its chairperson in early October after a motion was tabled on Friday. The motion to dismiss PACE President Pedro Agramunt was backed by 158 out of the 636 member […]
Opinion
Minorities
Groups say 25-year old’s fatal stabbing in Tbilisi was motivated by xenophobia
Vitali Safarov (Facebook). TBILISI, DFWatch--A young human rights activist who was stabbed to death in Tbilisi nearly two weeks ago was murdered by members of a neo-Nazi group, Georgian civic activists say. Vitali [...]
NGO News
Independent lawyers in Georgia urge parliament to condemn “clan-based” governance in judiciary
High Council of Justice. (hcoj.gov.ge) A group of independent lawyers and legal experts has submitted a draft resolution in the parliament of Georgia in which they ask for [...]
Georgian civic groups suspect government is behind smear campaign on Facebook
Eka Gigauri. (Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's largest NGOs suspect that the government is masterminding a smear campaign against them using internet trolls. "These dull caricatures with their Facebook pages [...]
NGO coalition in Georgia proposes new procedure for selecting chief prosecutor
DFWatch Editor-in-Chief Lasha Tughushi is one of the authors of the bill. Behind him, co-author Natia Kuprashvili. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s largest NGO coalition proposes an overhaul of the existing system for selecting a chief prosecutor in order to minimize the risk that one party takes the decision unilaterally. The proposed bill comes in the wake of a two-week-long series of rallies in Tbilisi […]