DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, DFWatch–The largest opposition party’s candidate for Tbilisi mayor has lost his seat in the Georgian parliament. Nika Melia, leader of the largest opposition party United National Movement (UNM), asked for the revocation himself in July, after the ruling party abandoned the EU mediated compromise agreement negotiated by European Council President Charles Michel. However, Melia … Read more
The ombudsman calls for the prosecution of an ultra-nationalist journalist and an archpriest of the Georgian Orthodox Church for organizing violence against journalists and LGBTQ rights activists. Ombudsman Nino Lomjaria said 53 people have been identified as victims of the July 5 gang violence and 27 people have been prosecuted. However, no-one has been prosecuted … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s ruling party has dashed the opposition’s hopes of holding early elections for parliament in 2022 as a spokesman ruled it out entirely regardless of how few votes Georgian Dream will be able to get in the local elections this October. “Even if Georgian Dream gets 1% in the local elections, no parliamentary elections … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Public Defender calls for postponing the local elections amid skyrocketing numbers of new Covid-19 cases and deaths. Nino Lomjaria’s call is backed by the opposition, but the government categorically rules out postponing the poll, which is scheduled for October. “We have more than 60-70 dead per day. What more stringent regulations should we … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Georgian National Platform, a coalition of more than 200 non-governmental organizations, expresses concern over an oil spill off Russia’s Black Sea coast and calls on the Georgian government to take appropriate measures to prevent the spill from causing major environmental destruction and threatening the Georgian coastline. In the statement … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch-Twenty two citizens of Georgia are stuck in Kabul and are unable to return to Georgia. They were scheduled to fly off on a Ukrainian plane on Monday, but were unable to reach the airport due to security concerns. They are currently in a safe place near Kabul, though they say the road to … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian government is tightening regulations due to the worsening epidemiological situation, but still refrains from reintroducing curfew and lockdown, measures that are wildly unpopular among the population. The government was originally expected to announce a new tightening of measures on Tuesday after news of hospitals buckling under the stress of skyrocketing Covid-19 numbers, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The recent surge in Covid-19 is causing a steadily deteriorating situation in Georgia and approaching crisis level. Hospitals are reporting an acute shortage of free beds and medical staff, while the government is considering more restrictions, something it did not intend to do before the October 2 local elections. “We will meet again at … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Against the backdrop of a skyrocketing number of new cases of Covid-19 and a steady increase in the number of deaths, authorities in Georgia decided Monday to bring back stricter regulations, but stopped short of using another round of lockdown or curfews to battle the virus. The Interagency Coordinating Council met on Monday and … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies claims by the opposition that the three Baltic countries refused to host PM Irakli Gharibashvili, who was planning a visit. One of the largest online publications in Lithuania, 15min.lt, confirmed, based on anonymous sources, that the PM’s request to come on an official trip to Lithuania was rejected. … Read more