DFWatch staff 
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 on the table and included in our agenda,” Giorgi Tkemaladze, Chairman of Tbilisi City Council, said on Wednesday. “When the decision is adopted, … Read more
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 and open at 6 am on Friday, August 9. According to the de facto State Security Committee, which is in … Read more
სოხუმის რეჟიმი ბაბუშარას აეროპორტის აღდგენასა და მისთვის, არც მეტი არც ნაკლები, საერთაშორისო სტატუსის მინიჭებას გეგმავს. სეპარატისტულ ხელისუფლებაში აცხადებენ, რომ აეროპორტში არსებულ სიტუატიას უკვე სწავლობს რუსული კომპანია და განსახორციელებული სამუშაოების გეგმაზე ანგარიშს ამზადებს. თბილისში კი აცხადებენ, რომ საქართველოს თანხმობის გარეშე ბაბუშარას აეროპორტში საერთაშორისო მიმოსვლის დაწყება შეუძლებელი იქნება. როგორც ჩანს, სოხუმში ისევ რუსეთთან “საერთაშორისო მიმოსვლის” იმედი აქვთ … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Black Sea contains toxic concentrations of several pollutants, a new study has found. The dangerous substances include soot, pesticides, insecticides, mercury and flame retardants. In addition, 124 chemicals dangerous for the sea ecosystem and human health were identified in the study, which was presented in Odessa on July 29. These include persistent organic … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–One more electronic music festival in Georgia has been canceled due to threats from clergy, this time in Kobuleti on the Black Sea coast. Organizers of GR Fest wrote on Facebook that the youth festival, which is scheduled to start on August 10, will be held in a new location, after priests and local … Read more
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 State Duma has paid due attention to the statement by the South Ossetian parliament on the recognition of the genocide of South Ossetians in 1920 by Georgia. At the next … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetia’s “ambassador” to Italy says that “the time has come” for recognizing its independence. “We believe that the time has come that Italy through its current government recognizes the republic of South Ossetia as a state equal to all states present to the UN,” “ambassador” Mauro Murgia wrote on Facebook. The statement concerns … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The conservative Georgian businessman Levan Vasadze has demanded that the government impose the strictest possible control over the media, and even jail some journalists, otherwise “nothing will save this country”. “I address Bidzina Ivanishvili and our government to set up a regulator that will punish media outlets and individual journalists for libel and defamation, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi city court on Friday released the two founders of Georgia’s largest bank against a 700,000 lari bail each. The two were also barred from leaving the country without notifying investigators. The defendants, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, said they will step down from their managerial positions at Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC) in order … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia Thursday detained the leader of an opposition party and charged him with participating in an attempted coup d’etat. Irakli Okruashvili, who served as defense minister and prosecutor general during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency, was apprehended as he was on his way to meet with members of a new political party, Victorious Georgia, … Read more