Georgian government allows cigarette smuggling from Abkhazia, Gali residents say
GALI, DFWatch--The Georgian government has unofficially given Gali residents a green light for smuggling cigarettes, likely as part of the election campaign, according to locals DFWatch spoke to. They have received explicit messages from Georgian law enforcers, they said. "Everybody knows each other here, almost all law enforcement knows who smuggle cigarettes. For the past week, traders were told that they could bring counterfeit [cigarettes [...]
Gas explosion claims the lives of mother and 9 month old son in Tbilisi
TBILISI, DFWatch--A 30 year old woman and her 9 months old son died in an explosion in an apartment block in Tbilisi Thursday morning, the emergency management service reports. The explosion occurred at around 11am [...]
In a bid to win the votes, #Georgia government signals acceptance for cigarette smuggling from #Abkhazia, Gali residents say #GVote #GVote18 https://t.co/ON7GRDDZBp
Gas explosion claims the lives of mother and 9 month old son in #Tbilisi #Georgia https://t.co/DQX1YVGglA
#Russian soldiers observed installing barbed wire in Dzukaantkari, 24km east of Atotsi in #Georgia - reinforcing a de facto though unrecognized border around the disputed territory South Ossetia https://t.co/VBVPZbmPwC
News
Russian soldiers observed installing barbed wire in Dzukaantkari, 24km east of Atotsi
(DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Russian border forces have begun installing reinforced barbed wire fence through the village Dzukaantkari (Dzukata) near Gori, as part of a gradual demarcation around the breakaway region South Ossetia. The new [...]
Death threats against Salome Zurabishvili came from Georgian volunteer fighter in Ukraine war, lawyer claims
Salome Zurabishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--One of the persons reportedly sending presidential candidate Salome Zurabishvili and her family members death threats has been identified and the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a criminal investigation [...]
Candidate for president Salome Zurabishvili received death threats from ‘ex-military servicemen linked to UNM’
Salome Zurabishvili called on police to respond to several death threats against herself and her son and daughter. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Salome Zurabishvili, the presidential candidate supported by Georgia Dream, calls on the police [...]
None of Georgia’s political parties campaigned in Gali in first round of presidential election
(DFWatch.) GALI, DFWatch--None of the political parties in Georgia’s presidential election campaigned in the conflict zone, according to locals DFWatch spoke to in Gali, the southern district of breakaway Abkhazia. This is unlike [...]
South Ossetia resumes installation of barbed wire along de facto border
(DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Tskhinvali has resumed installation of barbed wire fence along the administrative borderline between Georgia proper and the breakaway republic of South Ossetia. The de facto security committee plans to install one [...]
Abkhazia halts issuing of residence permits because ‘printer ran out of ink’
(DFWatch.) GALI, DFWatch--Abkhazia has temporarily suspended the issuing of residence permits, an essential document needed by Gali residents in order to travel to Georgia proper. Breakaway authorities in Gali claim the reason is [...]
Georgian opposition candidate for president vows to call snap election if he wins
Grigol Vashadze at a meeting with supporters in Tskaltubo. (Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch--The opposition candidate in Georgia’s run-off election for president pledges to eliminate the 'political police' if he wins. Grigol Vashadze from the [...]
South Ossetia celebrated 100 years since Komsomol’s founding
(presidentruo.org) TBILISI, DFWatch--South Ossetia on Saturday celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of Komsomol, the infamous political youth organization during the Soviet Union. Central in the celebrations were various events with participation [...]
Four UNM activists hospitalized after party office in Akhalkalaki attacked by GD supporters
Grigol Vashadze in Akhalkalaki hospital. (Sknews.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch--Four opposition activists were hospitalized Tuesday after supporters of the ruling GD party burst into a local branch office of the UNM in the predominantly ethnic [...]
“Zurabishvili and the GD should be worried”: American analysts speak on Georgian elections
Paul Stronski. (VOA) Voice of America’s Anna Kalandadze discussed aftermath and fallout of the first round of presidential elections in Georgia with leading Eurasia analysts in Washington. Anna Kalandadze is VOA Georgian chief [...]
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
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 […]
CSOs Seek Involvement in Public Defender’s Selection Process
We would like to respond to the statements related to the selection of Georgian Public Defender and call on the Parliament of Georgia to ensure civil society participation in the [...]
Open Society criticizes Hungary’s government for anti-NGO law
Open Society Foundations criticizes the Hungarian government and accuses it of trying to silence academic freedom by proposing a law against internationally funded NGOs, which will make it ‘impossible’ for the Central European University in Budapest to operate. […]