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Pope Francis visits Georgia

News

Pope Francis visits Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-30T17:39:49+04:00 September 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: catholicos patriarch, pope, Pope Francis, roman catholic church|

(Administration of President) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Pope Francis’s aircraft landed at Tbilisi International Airport on Friday afternoon. Next day he’s having a mass and sermon in Tbilisi second largest football stadium, where he’ll likely touch political themes. However, Georgia’s ambassador at Vatican isn’t optimistic the Pope will use a term ‘occupation’. Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, head of Georgian Orthodox Church, as well as President Giorgi Margvelashvili met the Pope at the airport. […]

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Anti-NATO, antigay MP withdraws from majoritarian race, express allegiance to Ivanishvili

News

Anti-NATO, antigay MP withdraws from majoritarian race, express allegiance to Ivanishvili

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-29T18:34:31+04:00 September 29th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: election, election2016, Georgian Dream, mechiauri, Tamaz Mechiauri|

Tbilisi, DFWatch - A member of Georgian parliament, notorious for his radical anti-NATO, antigay statements, Thursday withdrew his candidacy in a majoritarian district and expressed support to Georgian Dream and its founder, former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. Nine days before the election Tamaz Mechiauri, MP and a leader of a party 'Tamaz Mechiauri – United Georgia", [...]

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Government embarks on examining beauty salons

In brief

Government embarks on examining beauty salons

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-28T20:42:02+04:00 September 28th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: C hepatitis elimination program, health care, health ministry, hepatitis C|

(Interpressnews) Tbilisi, DFwatch – Beauty salons have to formally register at the Public Registry from October 1, in order to be properly examined by the Ministry of Health in the frames of the government program aimed at eliminating Hepatitis C. […]

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UNM pledges not to prosecute Ivanishvili after elections

In brief

UNM pledges not to prosecute Ivanishvili after elections

By DFWatch staff| 2016-10-01T02:48:07+04:00 September 28th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Bokeria, election, elections2016, Georgian Dream, national movement|

Giga Bokeria, Secretary of the Security Council (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–The National Movement will not prosecute Bidzina Ivanishvili and his supporters , Giga Bokeria, the party’s foreign affairs secretary said at a briefing on Wednesday. Bokeria predicts ‘inevitable’ loss by the Georgian Dream, […]

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Neo-Nazis marched Tbilisi center, 11 detained

News

Neo-Nazis marched Tbilisi center, 11 detained

By DFWatch staff| 2016-10-01T02:21:15+04:00 September 28th, 2016|Categories: News|

(interpressnews) TBILISI, DFWatch–Eleven people were detained for hooliganism Tuesday night during a rally of radical Georgian youth groups in downtown Tbilisi. The police interfered only after the march of Georgian Power, an overtly neo-Nazi bunch of teenagers, went sour, […]

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Burchuladze kicks out his major partner, Girchi, from coalition

News

Burchuladze kicks out his major partner, Girchi, from coalition

By DFWatch staff| 2016-10-01T01:58:14+04:00 September 27th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: burchuladze, elections, elections2016, Girchi, ivanishvili, Paata Burchuladze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Paata Burchuladze, a world famous operatic bass who recently formed a political coalition with three other parties, said that he asked Girchi, one of the most important parts of his coalition, to leave. […]

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Saakashvili heard plotting revolution in Georgia in Youtube tape

News

Saakashvili heard plotting revolution in Georgia in Youtube tape

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-27T15:06:05+04:00 September 27th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Saakashvili plotting coup in Georgia Sept 2016|

TBILISI, DFWatch–An audio tape was published Tuesday which appear to capture a conversation between former President Mikheil Saakashvili and other UNM party members plotting a revolution in Georgia. The tape was uploaded to Youtube by a user called Creative Georgia News. […]

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Georgia’s ruling party not planning final rally ahead of election

News

Georgia’s ruling party not planning final rally ahead of election

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-27T15:02:14+04:00 September 27th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Georgian Dream's 2016 election campaign|

Georgian Dream secretary Irakli Kobakhidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s governing party denies that it is planning a final campaign rally before the parliamentary election, despite claims to the contrary from its challenger UNM. One of Georgian Dream’s main challengers, the National Movement (UNM), […]

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Caucasus rail-link to help Iranian companies establish foothold in Europe

Economy

Caucasus rail-link to help Iranian companies establish foothold in Europe

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-27T12:06:00+04:00 September 27th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: Georgian Railways|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Railway is in talks about increasing rail freight between Iran and Bulgaria through Georgia. The target group of the plan is Iranian investors looking to establish a foothold in the European market. Through using the railway connection […]

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Ivanishvili recommends Garibashivili as future president

Politics

Ivanishvili recommends Garibashivili as future president

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-27T13:41:45+04:00 September 27th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Gharibashvili leaving as PM|

Bidzina Ivanishvili. TBILISI, DFWatch–Businessman and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said Monday that he would like to see Irakli Garibashvili as president. Ivanishvili said this while meeting with local media in Rustavi, a town south of Tbilisi. He said the former PM is ‘a good option for a spare’ […]

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One of Tbilisi’s oldest streets reopens after facelift

Society

One of Tbilisi’s oldest streets reopens after facelift

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-26T21:58:45+04:00 September 26th, 2016|Categories: Society|Tags: Aghmashenebeli Avenue in Tbilisi, Davit Narmania, Giorgi Kvirikashvili|

(DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The pedestrian zone of Aghmashenebeli Avenue in Tbilisi opened on Sunday after several months of renovation work. The facelift of one of the oldest streets in the Georgian capital was financed by the local government and Tbilisi Development Foundation. Tbilisi City Hall decided to refurbish […]

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Student activists interrupt opening ceremony at TSU

Education

Student activists interrupt opening ceremony at TSU

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-26T20:32:51+04:00 September 26th, 2016|Categories: Education|Tags: Giorgi Sharvashidze, TSU student protest March 2016|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Student activists interrupted the traditional welcoming of new students at Tbilisi State University on Monday, in protest against the election of a former deputy education minister as new rector. An activist group called Auditorium 115 prevented Giorgi Sharvashidze […]

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Village trustee in Georgia resigns after hitting journalist in the face

Media

Village trustee in Georgia resigns after hitting journalist in the face

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-25T17:40:39+04:00 September 25th, 2016|Categories: Media|Tags: Gela Mtivlishvili, Tamaz Mateshvili|

Trustee of the village Tsnori, Tamaz Mateshvili, resigned after the incident. TBILISI, DFWatch–The trustee of a village in eastern Georgia has resigned after admitting that he hit a journalist in the face. The journalist, Gela Mtivlishvili, had showed up at a stretch of road where asphalt was being laid down in pouring rain in anticipation of a visit by […]

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TSU students threaten to resume protest after rector’s election

Youth

TSU students threaten to resume protest after rector’s election

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-25T17:07:58+04:00 September 25th, 2016|Categories: Youth|Tags: TSU student protest March 2016|

Students at Tbilisi State University held sit-ins in March and April, 2016. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Students at Tbilisi State University threaten to resume their sit-ins and blockades after a former deputy education minister Friday became new rector in what they claim was rigged a election. Gia Sharvashidze was backed by 21 members of TSU’s academic council. […]

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Tbilisi-Beijing flights launched by China’s Southern Airlines

News

Tbilisi-Beijing flights launched by China’s Southern Airlines

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-23T22:09:08+04:00 September 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: china, flight|

(ipn) TBILISI, DFWatch–Beijing-Urumqi-Tbilisi flights have been scheduled from Friday, according to Georgia’s National Tourism Administration. China’s Southern Airlines, China’s largest flight companies, will carry out the flights two times in every week. […]

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Three ex-officials including Vano Merabishvili found guilty of beating MP in 2005

News

Three ex-officials including Vano Merabishvili found guilty of beating MP in 2005

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-23T15:01:46+04:00 September 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: bringing the Saakashvili regime to justice, Valeri Gelashvili, Vano Merabishvili|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court has found a former interior minister and two other ex-officials guilty of beating a parliamentarian in 2005. The guilty verdict against Vano Merabishvili, Erekle Kodua and Gia Siradze […]

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A hundred illegal slot machines confiscated

Crime

A hundred illegal slot machines confiscated

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-22T22:47:13+04:00 September 22nd, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: illegal slot machines|

(Ministry of Finance.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Financial crime investigators in Georgia have confiscated a hundred home-made slot machines that were placed in several cities around the country. The grey and blue columns do not look like typical slot machines, but offer customers […]

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Muslims in Kobuleti win symbolic victory in discrimination lawsuit

Minorities

Muslims in Kobuleti win symbolic victory in discrimination lawsuit

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-22T15:44:35+04:00 September 22nd, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: planned madrasa in Kobuleti|

Neighbors of the madrasa placed a pig’s head on the door. (TV 25.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Batumi, the City Court on Monday ruled partly in favor of the Muslim community in a conflict about a planned religious boarding school called a madrasa. The court case, which has lasted two years, deals with a conflict among locals in the town Kobuleti, […]

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Saakashvili’s ally in Odessa indicted by Georgia

News

Saakashvili’s ally in Odessa indicted by Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-22T14:00:40+04:00 September 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Gia Lortkipanidze, journalists beaten on May 26, May 26, rally dispersal, Saakashvili|

Gia Lortkipanidze (Ipn) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia (POG) has indicted a former Georgian official and Odessa governor confidant in Ukraine for directing a brutal dispersal of opposition rally back in 2011. Gia Lortkipanidze, a deputy of then omnipotent […]

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Man electrocuted trying to save 3-year-old girl who fell into swimming pool

In brief

Man electrocuted trying to save 3-year-old girl who fell into swimming pool

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-22T15:41:00+04:00 September 22nd, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: accidents with electricity, Benze (holiday resort), Nika Gograchadze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A young man was electrocuted in Batumi on Wednesday after he jumped into a swimming pool to save a three-year-old girl. The incident happened at about 11:00 in the morning in a guesthouse at a place called Benze. A girl fell into the pool in the garden […]

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Orthodox group in Georgia threatens to protest against pope’s visit

News

Orthodox group in Georgia threatens to protest against pope’s visit

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-22T12:08:14+04:00 September 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Patriarch Ilia II, Pope Francis|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of orthodox Christian parents in Georgia are planning to demonstrate against Pope Francis during his visit the coming week. The group is called the Union of Orthodox Parents and is well-known among locals for its confrontational style and conservative views. […]

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Construction work ends on Georgia’s first wind farm

Environment

Construction work ends on Georgia’s first wind farm

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-22T00:36:53+04:00 September 21st, 2016|Categories: Environment|Tags: wind farm in Gori|

National Association of Energy and Environment TBILISI, DFWatch–Construction work on Georgia’s first wind farm has been completed near Gori, the Energy Development Fund of Georgia announced. The facility consists of six turbines, each with a power output of 3.45MW. […]

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Ex-official has no time to answer questions about police brutality in 2011

News

Ex-official has no time to answer questions about police brutality in 2011

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-21T15:02:30+04:00 September 21st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: journalists beaten on May 26|

Gia Lortkipanidze doesn’t have time to answer questions about policy brutality on May 26, 2011, because he has to hold a speech in the parliament in Ukraine. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A former Georgian government official has refused to travel from Ukraine to Georgia to answer questions about a violent dispersal of anti-government protesters five and a half years ago. Gia Lortkipanidze is head of police in Ukraine’s Odessa region, […]

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Opposition journalist flees Russia, settles in Georgia

News

Opposition journalist flees Russia, settles in Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-21T14:43:36+04:00 September 21st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: journalist, moscow, Russia|

(SotnikTV) Tbilisi,DFWatch – Russian opposition journalist published a video on Tuesday stating he has to leave Russia and settle in Georgia ‘for some time’. […]

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New charges against ex-officials for May 26, 2011 mass arrests

News

New charges against ex-officials for May 26, 2011 mass arrests

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-21T09:43:51+04:00 September 21st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Data Akhalaia, journalists beaten on May 26|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor General’s Office in Georgia on Tuesday charged four former officials for their handling of the dispersal of an anti-government rally in Tbilisi on May 26, 2011. The four are charged with exceeding their official powers. […]

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Georgia arrests two bank robbers with some of the stolen money

News

Georgia arrests two bank robbers with some of the stolen money

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-20T10:09:45+04:00 September 20th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: bank robberies|

Their robbery spree targeted two banks and a convenience store in Vazisubani, a district of Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia arrested two men Monday who are suspected of robbing several banks and a convenience store in the Vazisubani district of Tbilisi two days earlier. One of the men was arrested on the Armenian border at Sadakhlo, […]

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Dniproavia launches direct Odessa-Tbilisi flights from October 6

In brief

Dniproavia launches direct Odessa-Tbilisi flights from October 6

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-19T16:44:43+04:00 September 19th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Dniproavia|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Ukrainian airline Dniproavia is beginning weekly flights to Tbilisi, Georgia, starting October 6. Flights will have a duration of 2 hours and 25 minutes each way. The airline has decided to use the Brazilian twin-engine jet Embraer 145, which is capable […]

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Georgia condemns Russian election precincts inside breakaway territories

News

Georgia condemns Russian election precincts inside breakaway territories

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-19T13:19:53+04:00 September 19th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: 2011 Duma elections in Russia, 2016 Duma elections in Russia, mass issuing of Russian passports in Georgia|

Voting for Russia’s State Duma in Tskhinvali on Sunday. (RES.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia condemned the election Sunday for the Russian State Duma inside the two breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) called on the international community to react against this […]

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17-year-old who was detained on border returned by South Ossetia

News

17-year-old who was detained on border returned by South Ossetia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-19T03:38:57+04:00 September 18th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: border incidents near South Ossetia, Joni Gogichaishvili|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A 17-year-old Georgian who was detained Friday by Russian soldiers patrolling the border of South Ossetia was returned on Saturday. Joni Gogichaishvili’s return was confirmed by the European Union Monitoring Mission to Georgia (EUMM), […]

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Russian patrol detains 17-year-old Georgian on disputed border

News

Russian patrol detains 17-year-old Georgian on disputed border

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-17T16:00:04+04:00 September 17th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Bershueti, border incidents near South Ossetia, Joni Gogichaishvili, Sobisi|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian border guards on Friday detained a 17-year-old Georgian near the border with South Ossetia. The incident took place in the village Bershueti. The detainee, Joni Gogichaishvili from the village Sobisi, was taken to the detention facility […]

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Strong rain and flooding in Batumi

Environment

Strong rain and flooding in Batumi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-17T02:09:48+04:00 September 17th, 2016|Categories: Environment|Tags: 2016 summer weather season|

(Batumelebi.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Black Sea coast was hit by strong rain on Friday, flooding the streets and inundating ground floors and basements in Batumi, a city of 150,000 people. Emergency workers were still pumping out the flood water from houses […]

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Military lyceum in Georgia starts accepting girls for first time

News

Military lyceum in Georgia starts accepting girls for first time

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-17T02:07:22+04:00 September 16th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: military cadets, military lyceum, women's rights|

(Facebook) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Cadets Military Lyceum named after Giorgi Kvinitadze accepted girls for the first time since its establishment in 2010. The opening ceremony of the academic year 2016-2017 was greeted by President Giorgi Margvelashvili […]

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Georgia’s foreign trade turnover Jan-Aug up 16% in 2016

In brief

Georgia’s foreign trade turnover Jan-Aug up 16% in 2016

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-16T13:09:55+04:00 September 16th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Georgia's foreign trade|

(Interperssnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in the first eight months of 2016 was 16 percent more than in the same period last year, new figures from Georgia’s National Statistics Office show. The figures, presented in the latest preliminary monthly report by GeoStat, […]

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Georgian police accused of hate speech in lawsuit at Strasbourg court

Minorities

Georgian police accused of hate speech in lawsuit at Strasbourg court

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-16T01:28:39+04:00 September 16th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: Mokhe, Muslims in Georgia|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The beating of four Muslims by Georgian police may be brought up before the European Court of Human Rights after a human rights group in Georgia on Thursday filed a lawsuit at the Strasbourg court. The four were detained by police during a village […]

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Storm blew roofs off houses in a dozen villages in Georgia

In brief

Storm blew roofs off houses in a dozen villages in Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-15T14:03:58+04:00 September 15th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: 2016 summer weather season|

(ICK.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Strong wind blew the roof off buildings in a dozen villages in the east of Georgia on Wednesday, Information Center of Kakheti (ICK) reported. The wind lifted the roof off houses in about ten villages in villages in Lagodekhi municipality, in the Kakheti region, […]

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Saakashvili preparing to stoke unrest ahead of election: Georgian PM

Politics

Saakashvili preparing to stoke unrest ahead of election: Georgian PM

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-14T22:18:25+04:00 September 14th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Giorgi Kvirikashvili new PM, National Movement's 2016 election campaign|

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili claims that Mikheil Saakashvili’s party has started several new organizations in order to foment unrest in Georgia ahead of the election. One of the new organizations started by the National Movement is Georgia in the Name […]

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Republican Party leader says he was offered PM seat personally by Ivanishvili in 2015

News

Republican Party leader says he was offered PM seat personally by Ivanishvili in 2015

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-14T17:53:18+04:00 September 14th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Gharibashvili, ivanishvili, prime minister, Republican party, speaker of parliament, usupashvili|

Tbilisi, DFWatch – Speaker of Georgian Parliament states he was offered a prime ministerial seat by the former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili back in April, 2015, when the post was held by Irakli Garibashvili. […]

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Gaz distribution company soothes irked Tbilisians

News

Gaz distribution company soothes irked Tbilisians

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-14T17:17:07+04:00 September 14th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: gas, kaztransgaz, natural gas|

Tbilisi, DFWatch – Natural gas distribution company in Tbilisi, KazTransGaz, issued an official statement on Wednesday calming down residents scared by an intense odour in their apartments. […]

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Policeman wanted in Demur Sturua case gives himself up

News

Policeman wanted in Demur Sturua case gives himself up

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-13T21:59:29+04:00 September 13th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Demur Sturua, Goderdzi Tevzadze, marijuana|

Goderdzi Tevzadze outside the regional prosecutor’s office in Kutaisi Tuesday night. (Channel 1.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A policeman who has been wanted in connection with 22-year-old Demur Sturua’s suicide showed up at the regional prosecutor’s office in Kutaisi Tuesday night accompanied by his lawyer. Goderdzi Tevzadze was declared wanted by the Prosecutor […]

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Georgia secures free trade deal with China

Economy

Georgia secures free trade deal with China

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-13T21:18:46+04:00 September 13th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: China-Georgia relations|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has secured a free trade agreement with China which is expected to boost Georgia’s export of wine. The agreement, which still needs to be confirmed formally, will exempt goods and services that were previously charged more than 40 percent […]

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Ex-ally claims opera star who formed new party is a puppet of Ivanishvili

Politics

Ex-ally claims opera star who formed new party is a puppet of Ivanishvili

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-13T16:38:25+04:00 September 13th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Giorgi Rukhadze, Paata Burchuladze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Another prominent member left opera singer Paata Burchuladze’s party on Tuesday, accusing State for People of being financed by former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. “I am leaving Paata Burchuladze’s party, because it is not Paata […]

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Ivanishvili blasts Burjanadze: Your non-bloc idea is a bluff

Politics

Ivanishvili blasts Burjanadze: Your non-bloc idea is a bluff

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-13T02:28:20+04:00 September 13th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Bidzina Ivanishvili having undue influence over the government|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Georgian PM Bidzina Ivanishvili lashed out at opposition politician Nino Burjanadze on Sunday, accusing her of bluffing when she proposed that Georgia should declare a non-bloc status. Burjanadze, a former parliament speaker, […]

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Georgian Muslims celebrate Kurban Bayram

Minorities

Georgian Muslims celebrate Kurban Bayram

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-12T19:26:26+04:00 September 12th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: bairam, islam, muslim community, Muslims|

(Muslims’ Department of Georgia) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Muslims in Georgia, as well as around the World, celebrate Eid al-Adha, known as Kurban Bayram, major religious celebration from 12 to 15 September. […]

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Party led by anti-NATO businessman disqualified from elections

News

Party led by anti-NATO businessman disqualified from elections

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-12T19:20:55+04:00 September 12th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: cec, election, industrials, mretsvelebi, topadze|

Gogi Topadze (IPN) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Gogi Topadze’s party, former member of the ruling coalition, was rejected to participate in the upcoming parliament election by the Election Administration (CEC) together with 24 other minor parties. […]

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NATO expert: Georgia is in a much closer to Alliance now than it was in 2008

Interviews

NATO expert: Georgia is in a much closer to Alliance now than it was in 2008

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-13T02:23:13+04:00 September 12th, 2016|Categories: Interviews|Tags: alliance, atlantic, defense, george benitez, interview, Nato|

George Benitez: ‘it’s very important to note, that NAC very rarely meets outside Brussels’. Voice of America’s (VOA) Anna Kalandadze spoke to George (Jorge) Benitez, Senior Fellow at the US Atlantic Council in Washington and NATOSource director, to discuss the North Atlantic Council’s latest visit to Georgia and other important aspects in bilateral relations. Excerpts of this interview ran on a VOA’s program. Here is the full interview: […]

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60-year-old Georgian cattle herder detained by Russian border patrol

In brief

60-year-old Georgian cattle herder detained by Russian border patrol

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-12T02:34:38+04:00 September 12th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: border incidents near South Ossetia|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A 60-year-old Georgian man was detained on Sunday near the border with Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia for violating the border. Valiko Khizanishvili, who is from the village Koshka, was detained when he was out in a field looking after cattle. […]

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Zviad Gogochuri wins Georgia’s first ever Paralympics gold

Sport

Zviad Gogochuri wins Georgia’s first ever Paralympics gold

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-11T16:00:29+04:00 September 11th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Akaki Jintcharadze, Irma Khetsuriani, Lia Chachibaia, Vano Tsiklauri, Zviad Gogochuri|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Zviad Gogochuri on Saturday took gold in the men’s 90kg judo competition at the Rio Paralympics. This is the first gold by a Georgia athlete in the Paralympics since the country became independent in 1991. In the final, […]

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Georgia appoints new ambassador to the United States

In brief

Georgia appoints new ambassador to the United States

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-10T16:13:13+04:00 September 10th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Davit Bakradze (minister)|

Davit Bakradze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Krivikashvili on Friday appointed a new ambassador to Washington. Replacing Archil Gegeshidze is Davit Bakradze, the minister of Euro-integration who has been in charge of Georgia’s approaches to the European Union […]

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Government reshuffle to boost GD’s election campaign

Elections

Government reshuffle to boost GD’s election campaign

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-11T15:57:29+04:00 September 10th, 2016|Categories: Elections|Tags: Kakhi Kaladze|

Kakhi Kaladze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Friday announced a cabinet reshuffle which lets two GD politicians dedicate their time to campaigning as less than a month remains before a parliamentary election where no party or bloc […]

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Republican Party proposes new pension system

News

Republican Party proposes new pension system

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-09T17:53:37+04:00 September 9th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Republican party|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Republican Party proposes a new pension system based on entitlement earned through work experience. Appearing on Rustavi 2’s election special, spokesperson Davit Usupashvili drew a line between the Republicans […]

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Construction worker dies after fall in Kutaisi

In brief

Construction worker dies after fall in Kutaisi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-09T17:01:18+04:00 September 9th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: accident at work, Kutaisi|

(Imedi.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A worker died at a construction site in western Georgia on Thursday, after falling from a building. The incident happened on Aghmashenebeli Street in Kutaisi. The victim was a middle-age man. An investigation has been launched […]

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Burchuladze’s team-mate splits, asks authorities for protection

News

Burchuladze’s team-mate splits, asks authorities for protection

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-09T18:20:34+04:00 September 9th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: elections, electionw, lagazidze, Paata Burchuladze|

Khatuna Lagazidze has asked the government for protection for herself and her family. (ghn.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch–Political commentator Khatuna Lagazidze is leaving opera singer Paata Burchuladze’s party. She expresses concern about her own safety and asks the authorities for protection for herself and her family against ‘criminal elements’ in the party. […]

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3.5 million have registered to vote in Georgia’s election

Elections

3.5 million have registered to vote in Georgia’s election

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-09T14:28:44+04:00 September 9th, 2016|Categories: Elections|Tags: Georgia's 2016 parliamentary election|

TBILISI, DFWatch–More than 3.5 million voters had registered in Georgia by August 12; eight weeks before the election for parliament. Ana Mikeladze, Speaker for the Central Election Commission, said Wednesday that from June 10 until today, more than […]

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GD announces its party list, pushing some old members aside

News

GD announces its party list, pushing some old members aside

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-09T14:24:57+04:00 September 9th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: election, Georgian Dream, parliament, politics|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling Georgian Dream announces its party list for Oct. 2, 2016 parliamentary elections, featuring mostly ‘new faces’ on its top and leaving many of its prominent members behind. The list is headed by Giorgi Kvirikashvili, current PM […]

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Muslims in Batumi buy land plot for city’s second mosque

Minorities

Muslims in Batumi buy land plot for city’s second mosque

By DFWatch staff| 2016-11-29T16:25:59+04:00 September 8th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: Orta Jame Mosque|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Muslims in Batumi took one step closer to building a second mosque in the city by purchasing a plot of land on Wednesday. The initiative group for constructing a mosque in Batumi on September 7 purchased a property on Abashidze Street […]

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Ivanishvili urges Alliance of Patriots to clarify its stance toward EU, NATO

News

Ivanishvili urges Alliance of Patriots to clarify its stance toward EU, NATO

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-08T21:33:53+04:00 September 8th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Alliance of Patriots, election, inashvilia, ivanishvili|

Tbilisi, DFWatch – Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili criticizes Alliance of Patriots, a conservative political party, which often resorts to the populist nationalistic narrative, for having ‘no clear platform’ and advises them to inform voters what exactly they want and what direction they want to steer the country. […]

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Fake Nokia and Samsung phones no longer on sale in this shop

Crime

Fake Nokia and Samsung phones no longer on sale in this shop

By DFWatch staff| 2016-10-18T22:44:45+04:00 September 7th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: Chinese copy products|

(Palitra TV.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The financial crimes unit in Georgia’s Finance Ministry exposed a shop for selling fake Nokia and Samsung phones on Wednesday, which may lead to up to five years in jail. The Investigation Service revealed that phones were illegally labelled […]

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Air taxi to start flying in November – check available destinations here

News

Air taxi to start flying in November – check available destinations here

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-07T16:45:25+04:00 September 7th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Adjara Group, air taxi, The Rooms Hotel|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A company in Georgia is offering air taxi services from November this year, taking customers to every airport in Georgia. The air taxis are run by Adjara Group. Head of marketing and business development Oto Berishvili […]

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‘Georgia should have a U.S. military base before it gets into NATO’

Politics

‘Georgia should have a U.S. military base before it gets into NATO’

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-07T11:21:27+04:00 September 7th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Davit Usupashvili, NATO's training center in Georgia, Republican party's 2016 election campaign|

Davit Usupashvili (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Republican Party wants to have a U.S. military base in Georgia before the country becomes a full member of NATO. This was one of the statements made by Republican Party members during a debate on Rustavi 2 Tuesday evening, […]

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Okruashvili’s stakes claim on Rustavi 2 TV with secret contract

Media

Okruashvili’s stakes claim on Rustavi 2 TV with secret contract

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-07T00:03:48+04:00 September 6th, 2016|Categories: Media|Tags: Irakli Okruashvili, Kibar Khalvashi, seizure of Rustavi 2 assets|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A former Georgian defense minister has revealed the existence of a contract which appears to invalidate the takeover of one of the main TV stations in the country, as the Supreme Court is considering the case. The city court in Tbilisi decided in November […]

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These streets in Old Tbilisi will become pedestrian zones

In brief

These streets in Old Tbilisi will become pedestrian zones

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-06T23:21:33+04:00 September 6th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Iare Pekhit|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Six streets in the old part of the Georgian capital will become pedestrian zones, Tbilisi City Hall has decided. City Hall explained that there is a demand from people to have more pedestrian areas in Old Tbilisi and that there is need for more tourism […]

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Tbilisi car repair shop killer caught in Zestaponi

Crime

Tbilisi car repair shop killer caught in Zestaponi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-06T10:46:29+04:00 September 6th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: Kipshidze Street, violent crime|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia Monday night arrested a 24-year-old suspected of murdering a car repairman a few hours earlier at in Tbilisi. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) informs that a man was arrested for premeditated murder and illegally purchasing, […]

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GD candidate claims UNM planning election provocations

Elections

GD candidate claims UNM planning election provocations

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-06T10:56:45+04:00 September 6th, 2016|Categories: Elections|Tags: Tamar Chugoshvili, violations during 2016 parliamentary election|

Tamar Chugoshvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A former human rights advocate who is running for parliament claims the former ruling party, the National Movement (UNM), is planning to provoke conflicts in the election campaign. Tamar Chugoshvili, a candidate for parliament for Georgian Dream […]

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Azerbaijan committed to the Southern Gas Corridor: Baku official

Economy

Azerbaijan committed to the Southern Gas Corridor: Baku official

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-06T00:19:41+04:00 September 5th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Despite the falling oil price, Azerbaijan has confirmed its commitment to the implementation of large-scale projects like the Southern Gas Corridor, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Energy Minister Namig Abbasov said at a conference […]

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Angry customer shoots electrician at Tbilisi car repair shop

Crime

Angry customer shoots electrician at Tbilisi car repair shop

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-06T00:19:23+04:00 September 5th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: Kipshidze Street, violent crime|

TBILISI, DFWatch–An enraged customer pulled a gun on an electrician and shot him at a car repair place in central Tbilisi on Monday. The fatal disagreement took place on Kipshidze Street in the western Vake district. Police said the customer had a quarrel with an electrician […]

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Committee in EU parliament backs Georgia visa waiver program

Europe

Committee in EU parliament backs Georgia visa waiver program

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-06T10:50:47+04:00 September 5th, 2016|Categories: Europe|Tags: visa-free travel|

TBILISI, DFWatch–In a vote on Monday, a majority in the EU Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) supported giving visa-free access to the Schengen area for Georgian citizen. 44 voted for lifting visa rules for Georgian citizens, […]

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20 Georgian NGOs launch new coalition ‘For Euro-Atlantic Georgia’

NGO news

20 Georgian NGOs launch new coalition ‘For Euro-Atlantic Georgia’

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-05T16:47:59+04:00 September 5th, 2016|Categories: NGO news|Tags: coalition of 20 pro-NATO NGOs|

The twenty organizations behind the new coalition say their goal is ‘to build a free and independent state, with effective democratic institutions, based on full respect for human rights and freedoms.’ Presenting the initiative at a press conference in Tbilisi on Monday, and in […]

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EU parliament discussing visa liberalization today

Europe

EU parliament discussing visa liberalization today

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-05T15:11:35+04:00 September 5th, 2016|Categories: Europe|Tags: Johannes Hahn, visa-free travel|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A committee in the European Parliament will discuss today whether to offer visa-free travel to the Schengen area for Georgian and Ukrainian citizens, as well as citizens of Kosovo. Claude Moraes, head of the Civil Liberties, Justice and […]

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Rejected suitor raped woman he wanted to marry, gets 7 years’ jail

Crime

Rejected suitor raped woman he wanted to marry, gets 7 years’ jail

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-05T11:46:42+04:00 September 5th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: bride kidnapping|

The man is appealing Zugdidi City Court’s sentence. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The City Court in Zugdidi last Friday sentenced a man to seven years in jail for raping a woman and attempting to force her into marriage. Defense lawyers say the man, who was arrested April 11, will appeal the verdict. According to the Prosecutor […]

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Man arrested for harassing witness in Demur Sturua-case

News

Man arrested for harassing witness in Demur Sturua-case

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-04T22:25:44+04:00 September 4th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Davit Natsvlishvili, Demur Sturua, Nana Jojua|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A man was arrested in western Georgia on Saturday for harassing a witness in the Demur Sturua case. Sturua committed suicide on August 7 and left a note indicating that a local policeman had pressured him to give up names of people who were cultivating […]

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State Audit Office asks court to fine six parties for election violations

News

State Audit Office asks court to fine six parties for election violations

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-04T22:00:51+04:00 September 3rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Chamber of Control, State Audit Office, violations during 2016 parliamentary election|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s State Audit Office (SAO) has asked the court to fine six political parties for bribery, illegal donations and other election violations. The office asked the court to issue a 4,000 lari fine to Rima Beridze, a majoritarian candidate for Georgian Dream, […]

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Green activists keep up pressure on City Hall for tree-cutting scandal

Environment

Green activists keep up pressure on City Hall for tree-cutting scandal

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-04T11:49:28+04:00 September 3rd, 2016|Categories: Environment|Tags: Davit Narmania, protest against tree-cutting in Tbilisi|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The eco-activists of Guerilla Gardening rallied in front of Tbilisi City Hall again on Friday, demanding the dismissal of the two bureaucrats in charge of tree cutting in the capital. They demand the dismissal of the head and the deputy of City Hall’s […]

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17 percent more tourists so far in 2016

In brief

17 percent more tourists so far in 2016

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-03T07:52:14+04:00 September 3rd, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Dimitry Kumsishvili, growth in tourism, National Tourism Administration|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The economy minister on Friday summed up the summer tourism season in Georgia together with the head of the National Tourism Administration. According to Minister of Economy Dimitry Kumsishvili, 4,247,729 foreigners visited Georgia in the […]

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Grape harvest begins in Georgia’s wine region Kakheti

Economy, News

Grape harvest begins in Georgia’s wine region Kakheti

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-03T09:31:46+04:00 September 3rd, 2016|Categories: Economy, News|Tags: grape harvest - rtveli|

TBILISI, DFWatch–This year’s grape harvest has begun in Georgia’s eastern Kakheti region. More than 1,850 tons of rkatsiteli grape and more than 1,110 tons of saperavi has been processed in Dedoplistskaro. Wine producing companies pay 80 tetris for saperavi, […]

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One dead, one injured in assassination in central Tbilisi

In brief

One dead, one injured in assassination in central Tbilisi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-03T13:56:45+04:00 September 2nd, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Georgian mafia, Soso Jokhadze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–One man died and one was injured in an execution style shooting in central Tbilisi on Friday. The Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested a man born in 1981 who is charged with premeditated murder and illegally carrying a weapon. The accused fired multiple […]

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Council head in Georgian village called special “men’s session”

News

Council head in Georgian village called special “men’s session”

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T21:02:04+04:00 September 2nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Keda, Ucha Nanuashvili, women's representation in politics|

(keda.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch–Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili has called on the municipal council in a valley in Georgia’s southwestern Adjara region to stop making sexist statements. After a meeting of the Keda Council on August 26, a member of the National Movement […]

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Funeral service held on the Black Sea for missing military divers

News

Funeral service held on the Black Sea for missing military divers

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T19:59:29+04:00 September 2nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: missing military divers Gonio - August 2016|

(Ministry of Defense.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A funeral service was held Thursday for two Georgian military divers who disappeared during an exercise in the Black Sea more than two weeks ago. The funeral service was held at the location where the soldiers were last seen during a training course on August 16 […]

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Three prison guards arrested after prisoner’s escape from court

In brief

Three prison guards arrested after prisoner’s escape from court

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T17:55:31+04:00 September 2nd, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: escaped prisoner from Rustavi court building|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Three prison guards were arrested on Wednesday in the case of the prisoner who escaped from the court building in Rustavi. According to the Prison Ministry, one of the detainees is head of shift of the guard service at the second department, […]

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Georgia’s Sukhishvili dance company boycotts Crimea

In brief

Georgia’s Sukhishvili dance company boycotts Crimea

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T09:54:06+04:00 September 2nd, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: 2014 Crimea crisis, Sukhishvilebi|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s most famous folk dance ensemble Sukhishvili has turned down an invitation to perform in Sevastopol and Simferopol, two cities in Crimea. The Georgian National Ballet, as it is formally called, posted a short note on Facebook about their decision. […]

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Ivanishvili estimates GD will get at least 100 MPs in Oct 8 election

News

Ivanishvili estimates GD will get at least 100 MPs in Oct 8 election

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T09:50:40+04:00 September 2nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream 2016 election campaign|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Bidzina Ivanishvili is confident that the governing Georgian Dream party, which he founded, will have at least 100 seats in the next parliament. The billionaire businessman says he cannot imagine that Georgian Dream will get less than 90 MPs in the next assembly. […]

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Georgia’s first wind farm almost completed

News

Georgia’s first wind farm almost completed

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T12:35:27+04:00 September 1st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: wind farm in Gori|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s first wind farm is almost completed. Wednesday the first turbine was installed in Gori, close to the television tower. The wind power plant in Gori will be the first of its kind in Georgia. Earlier, there […]

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In pictures: Cross-border music festival One Caucasus

Minorities

In pictures: Cross-border music festival One Caucasus

By DFWatch staff| 2016-11-29T19:46:10+04:00 September 1st, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: Armenia, Azerbaijan, minorities, music, one caucasus|

Tserakvi, DFWatch – Festival brings South Georgia’s multi-ethnic community together with visitors from Armenia and Azerbaijan for music, art, sport, and activism. The festival was held for the third time with more guests and artists performing. […]

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Georgian prisoner escapes by feigning illness

News

Georgian prisoner escapes by feigning illness

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-02T17:54:39+04:00 September 1st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: escaped prisoner from Gurjaani court, escaped prisoner from Rustavi court building|

Actor Aidan Quinn’s character overpowering the prison doctor in the 1987 film ‘Stakeout’. Otar Varamashvili, the escaped prisoner. TBILISI, DFWatch–It could have been a scene from a Hollywood movie, the moment when a prisoner escaped from Rustavi City Court on Wednesday. According to reports, the escapee was in the waiting room for defendants when he said he was feeling sick. […]

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Georgia halts military exercises at sea following fatal diving accident

In brief

Georgia halts military exercises at sea following fatal diving accident

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-01T09:50:19+04:00 September 1st, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Levan Izoria, missing military divers Gonio - August 2016|

Defense Minister Levan Izoria. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is halting exercises at sea as there are no certified instructors, Defense Minister Levan Izoria said Wednesday. A search for two military divers who went missing during an exercise was called off yesterday. The soldiers went missing […]

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‘Putin is not Georgia’s enemy’: Nino Burjanadze

News

‘Putin is not Georgia’s enemy’: Nino Burjanadze

By DFWatch staff| 2016-09-01T09:34:49+04:00 September 1st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Nino Burjanadze, non-alignment foreign policy|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian President Vladimir Putin is not an enemy of Georgia, but a very significant politician, according to former Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze. The opposition figure whose party Democratic Movement is without representatives […]

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Number of hospitalized after wedding poisoning scandal rises to 40

In brief

Number of hospitalized after wedding poisoning scandal rises to 40

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-31T18:26:21+04:00 August 31st, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: contaminated food, Sadakhlo|

PM Kvirikashvili visiting some of the poison victims at Marneuli hospital on Tuesday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–About 40 people – 22 of them children – are still in hospital after being poisoned during a wedding in Georgia. Nearly 200 people were poisoned on Monday at a wedding in Sadakhlo, a village in the south of Georgia near the border with Armenia. […]

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Georgia and Turkey call off search for two missing military divers

News

Georgia and Turkey call off search for two missing military divers

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-31T16:26:09+04:00 August 31st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: missing military divers Gonio - August 2016|

TBILISI, DFWatch–After eleven days, the search operation for two missing soldiers has been called off in Gonio on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. The two are believed to have drowned on August 16 during a military exercise. […]

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Court issues detention order for policeman charged in suicide case

In brief

Court issues detention order for policeman charged in suicide case

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-31T15:41:47+04:00 August 31st, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Demur Sturua, Goderdzi Tevzadze, marijuana|

The court building in Kutaisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Georgia on Tuesday issued an order to detain a policeman who is accused of having caused the suicide of a 22-year-old man. The wanted police officer Goderdzi Tevzadze has gone into hiding, and Kutaisi City Court therefore issued the ruling ‘in absentia’. […]

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Parties promise higher pensions, allowances without explaining how to fund it

News

Parties promise higher pensions, allowances without explaining how to fund it

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-31T11:34:29+04:00 August 31st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: rise in pensions 2011|

Paata Burchuladze during Independence Day celebrations, May 26. (Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–As barely a month remains until the parliamentary election, political parties in Georgia are falling over each other to promise increased pensions and social allowances. “Today, social allowances are distributed […]

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200 wedding guests poisoned – 21 still hospitalized

News

200 wedding guests poisoned – 21 still hospitalized

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-30T21:00:24+04:00 August 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: contaminated food|

21 wedding guests remain hospitalized after the mass food poisoning. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Almost 200 people were taken ill with food poisoning at a wedding in the south of Georgia on Monday, 28 of them children. The mass poisoning took place in the village Sadakhlo, near Marneuli. The affected wedding guests mostly complained about feeling sick and disoriented. […]

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Georgian PM’s latest election promise: a new road to Russia

News

Georgian PM’s latest election promise: a new road to Russia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-30T20:36:36+04:00 August 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Dariali hydro power project, Kazbegi-Verkhny Lars border point, landslide|

New evacuation facilities were recently built near the Georgia-Russia border crossing to protect against landslides, which claimed eight lives in 2014. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Tuesday promised to build a new highway that will improve the road connection between Tbilisi and the Russian border. “Within the next four years, we plan to build a highway from Mtskheta to Vladikavkaz,” […]

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Should Georgia’s foreign policy alignment be defined in the Constitiution?

Politics

Should Georgia’s foreign policy alignment be defined in the Constitiution?

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-30T18:22:33+04:00 August 30th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Davit Usupashvili, Nino Burjanadze, non-alignment foreign policy|

Nino Burjanadze. (Interpressnews.) Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two proposals to define Georgia’s foreign policy alignment in the Constitution were postponed by a parliament committee because not enough MPs showed up. The rebellious opposition leader who started the debate now claims parliament has violated election rules. […]

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Policeman on the run – charged with causing 22-year-old’s suicide

News

Policeman on the run – charged with causing 22-year-old’s suicide

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-30T16:44:15+04:00 August 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Demur Sturua, drug policy, Goderdzi Tevzadze, marijuana|

Demur Sturua (22) left a suicide note implicating the wanted police officer. (Interpressnews.) Activists blamed Georgia’s drug policy of having caused the young man’s death. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A police officer in Georgia was Monday charged with causing a young man to commit suicide. The police officer, Goderdzi Tevzadze in the western Georgian town Samtredia, has gone into hiding and was charged in absentia. He is charged with abusing his official powers […]

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More details emerge about Georgia pipeline plot

News

More details emerge about Georgia pipeline plot

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-30T13:22:27+04:00 August 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Beka Bekauri, plot to blow up Armenia pipeline, Vladimer Rukhadze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Monday, the newspaper Kviris Palitra published an interview with the person who tipped off the State Security Service about a plot to blow up a pipeline which brings natural gas from Russia to Armenia. Seven persons were arrested on August 22, […]

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Russian-Turkish détente nothing that Americans should be concerned about: Former US Ambassador to Turkey

Interviews

Russian-Turkish détente nothing that Americans should be concerned about: Former US Ambassador to Turkey

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-30T14:19:49+04:00 August 30th, 2016|Categories: Interviews|Tags: attempted coup in Turkey 15 July 2016, Ross Wilson, Russia, Syria, turkey, Turkey-Georgia relations|

Ross Wilson: ‘It isn’t a sea change in the Turkish-Russian relations’ Ross Wilson, former US Ambassador to Turkey, currently Director of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC summarizes latest developments in the Turkey-US and Turkey-Russia relations. The interview excerpts ran on the Voice of America’s program. Below is [...]

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Georgia’s Nino Khomeriki 2nd time European chess champion

Sport

Georgia’s Nino Khomeriki 2nd time European chess champion

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-29T15:57:42+04:00 August 29th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: chess, Nino Khomeriki|

Nino Khomeriki. (Georgian Chess Federation.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Nino Khomeriki has become European youth chess champion for the second time. Yesterday’s win at the European Youth Chess Championship in Prague, Czech Republic, is the second time Khomeriki claims the title. […]

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Foreign tourists spend 450 laris a day in Adjara

News

Foreign tourists spend 450 laris a day in Adjara

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-29T13:24:05+04:00 August 29th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Adjara, batumi, growth in tourism|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A new report shows that foreign tourists spend 450 laris a day in Adjara, a Black Sea region of Georgia heavily reliant on tourism. Over a thousand tourists were asked about their stay as they left the country, and the results draws a picture […]

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Fire devastates vineyards and hazelnut gardens in Kakheti

News

Fire devastates vineyards and hazelnut gardens in Kakheti

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-29T13:28:19+04:00 August 29th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: akhalsopeli, environment, fire|

(ipn) TBILISI, DFWatch–Fire devastated 50 hectares of agricultural land in the vicinity of Akhalsopeli, a village in Kvareli Municipality, Kakheti. 5 hectares of vineyards and hazelnut gardens had been almost totally destroyed, while in other areas the damage was not so serious, […]

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WATCH TRAILER: New TV series about Saakashvili regime’s crimes

News

WATCH TRAILER: New TV series about Saakashvili regime’s crimes

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-29T19:25:51+04:00 August 29th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Goga Khaindrava, investigation of Saakashvili government's crimes, mistreatment of prisoners|

Film director Goga Khaindrava. (Pirveli.) A scene from the trailer. TBILISI, DFWatch–The first episode of a new TV series about the crimes of the Saakashvili regime premiered at Rustaveli Theatre in Tbilisi on Saturday (watch trailer below). Georgian filmmaker and political activist Goga Khaindrava finished work on the documentary TV series, […]

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Two tourists rescued in Mestia, one man missing at sea

News

Two tourists rescued in Mestia, one man missing at sea

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-27T17:01:55+04:00 August 27th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: mountain rescue operations, rescue operations at sea|

(IPN.) (IPN.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One Israeli and one German tourist were rescued Saturday in Mestia, a picturesque mountain region in the northwest of Georgia. The two tourists were heading for the Tetnuldi peak, but not heard from. A search was immediately started after they […]

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Can Caucasus become one? Festival opens where three countries meet

Minorities

Can Caucasus become one? Festival opens where three countries meet

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-26T22:09:00+04:00 August 26th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: Armenians in Georgia, Azerbaijani minority in Georgia, One Caucasus Festival, Tserakvi|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The One Caucasus Festival kicked off in Georgia on Thursday, bringing together tourists and young people from all over the country, from different ethnic backgrounds, in order to enjoy music performances by local and foreign artists. One Caucasus […]

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Tbilisi mayor’s speech interrupted by protesters against tree-felling

Environment

Tbilisi mayor’s speech interrupted by protesters against tree-felling

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-26T19:57:08+04:00 August 26th, 2016|Categories: Environment|Tags: Davit Narmania, protest against tree-cutting in Tbilisi|

Tsotne Gamsakhurdia. (Pirveli.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Tbilisi mayor defended his conduct in the tree-felling scandal at an extraordinary City Council meeting Friday but had to halt his speech because of interruption by protesters. Environmentalists claim Mayor Davit Narmania […]

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21-year-old’s stabbing rampage in Kobuleti leaves one dead

Crime

21-year-old’s stabbing rampage in Kobuleti leaves one dead

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-26T16:54:04+04:00 August 26th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: Kobuleti, violent crime|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A man died Thursday night after a street fight near Kobuleti, a town on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. Four others were taken to hospital with injuries, including a policeman. Police arrested a 21-year-old who is suspected of stabbing a 20-year-old man in the chest, […]

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Republicans’ 9 muses: More women in politics means more solidarity

News

Republicans’ 9 muses: More women in politics means more solidarity

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-26T12:47:02+04:00 August 26th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Levan Berdzenishvili, Republican party, Republican party's 2016 election campaign, women in parliament|

Levan Berdzenishvili. (Interpressnews.) The Republicans’ nine ‘muses’, i.e. nominees for parliament members. TBILISI, DFWatch–Under the slogan ‘Let’s break free’, the Republican party has nominated nine women candidates for parliament under the single-seat majoritarian system for the October 8 election. “We have to break free of a lot of things. […]

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Campaign against family violence not working, women still afraid

News

Campaign against family violence not working, women still afraid

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-25T17:48:13+04:00 August 25th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Baia Pataraia, family violence, Sapari (NGO)|

Baia Pataraia. (Facebook.) Georgia – violent crime by region from January to June, 2016. There were a total of 696 cases. 58 percent of cases (403) were prosecuted. (Ministry of Internal Affairs.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The stigma attached to family violence is still keeping women from seeking help. The campaign is simply not working, a Georgian human rights group has said. In 2009, the United Natioins carried out a survey which showed that one in every 11 women in Georgia […]

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Goodbye, Narmania! UNM begins no-confidence proceedings against mayor

News

Goodbye, Narmania! UNM begins no-confidence proceedings against mayor

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-25T17:32:05+04:00 August 25th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: environment, greening, guerilla gardening|

One of several popular Instagram cartoons poking fun at Mayor Davit Narmania. The title says “Son of a donkey, a monkey” TBILISI, DFWatch --The National Movement faction in Tbilisi City Council initiated a motion of no-confidence against Mayor Davit Narmania on Thursday, following protests against a controversial tree-felling to make room for two new apartment blocks. "Today we officially [...]

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Anti-tree felling protester in Tbilisi hospitalized after hunger strike

Environment, News

Anti-tree felling protester in Tbilisi hospitalized after hunger strike

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-25T03:41:02+04:00 August 25th, 2016|Categories: Environment, News|Tags: Guerilla Gardening Tbilisi, Nata Peradze, protest against tree-cutting in Tbilisi|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Guerilla Gardening group is continuing their protest outside City Hall against the recent tree-cutting in the capital. One of the group’s leaders was hospitalized on Wednesday after being on hunger strike for seven days, but she was replaced by another activist. […]

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Georgia pipeline plot suspect denies link to Ukraine

News

Georgia pipeline plot suspect denies link to Ukraine

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-29T15:02:47+04:00 August 25th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Beka Bekauri, plot to blow up Armenia pipeline|

Protester against the Gazprom pipeline wearing the Ukrainian flag outside the government building in Tbilisi, January 16, 2016. (DFWatch.) Protesters against Gazprom’s pipeline linked their cause to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia and the helicopter pilot Savchenko. (DF Watch.) The gas pipeline has been damaged by landslides several times, last in August 2014. (Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One of the seven men arrested in Georgia for planning to blow up a Russian gas pipeline has denied any links to Ukraine. The suspect Beka Bekauri is still in hospital after suffering serious head trauma. He has had an operation and his condition is now stable. […]

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PM vows to tighten Constitution’s marriage definition after election

News

PM vows to tighten Constitution’s marriage definition after election

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-24T14:17:21+04:00 August 24th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: constitutional ban on same-sex marriage|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s prime minister on Wednesday again promised that Georgian Dream will amend the Constitution after the October 8 election in order to change the definition of marriage. Now that the president has rejected a proposed […]

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Death of military divers may lead to criminal charges: Defense minister

News

Death of military divers may lead to criminal charges: Defense minister

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-24T14:16:57+04:00 August 24th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Levan Izoria, missing military divers Gonio - August 2016|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s defense minister says a crime may have been committed when two soldiers disappeared while diving off the Black Sea coast eight days ago. Their bodies have still not been found. Levan Izoria said Tuesday that there are possible […]

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21-year-old IS militant from Georgia dies in Syria air raid

News

21-year-old IS militant from Georgia dies in Syria air raid

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-24T14:16:34+04:00 August 24th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Pankisi youth joining Islamic State, Syria|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A 21-year-old man from Georgia has died fighting alongside ISIS in the Syria war. Sultan Gumashvili was from Pankisi Gorge. Georgian media outlets are reporting that the deceased militant’s father Adam Gumashvili is also fighting for ISIS in Syria and is a prominent […]

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Traffic accidents claimed 7 lives in 7 days

News

Traffic accidents claimed 7 lives in 7 days

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-24T14:22:03+04:00 August 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: traffic accidents statistics, Tskhinvali bridge|

TBILISI, DFWatch–In the last week, three traffic accidents have claimed the lives of seven people in Georgia, including a 12-year-old boy, while three were injured. The latest accident took place August 21, on the Gori highway near the so-called Tskhinvali bridge. […]

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Beaten Georgia pipeline plot suspect questioned at the hospital

News

Beaten Georgia pipeline plot suspect questioned at the hospital

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-23T21:12:49+04:00 August 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: gas pipeline to Armenia, plot to blow up Armenia pipeline|

TBILISI, DFWatch–One of the men suspected of planning an act of sabotage against a natural gas pipeline in Georgia was questioned at the hospital on Tuesday. Yesterday, lawyer Maia Chrelashvili said that her client was unable to attend a hearing […]

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Journalist Merab Metreveli leaves opera star’s new party

News

Journalist Merab Metreveli leaves opera star’s new party

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-23T03:10:29+04:00 August 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Merab Metreveli, Paata Burchuladze, State For People|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Journalist Merab Metreveli Monday left opera singer’s Paata Burchuladze’s party because he was dissatisfied with being allied with former National Movement members. The opera star was joined by a more politicians on August 18, […]

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Terror suspect was beaten, according to lawyer

News

Terror suspect was beaten, according to lawyer

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-25T10:41:52+04:00 August 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: rough interrogation techniques|

Maia Chrelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The lawyer of one of the men who is accused of planning a terrorist attack against a gas pipeline in Georgia claims her client has been severely beaten in detention. Seven men were arrested on Monday, accused of planning to blow up a pipeline […]

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Sabotage against a major pipeline prevented in Georgia, 7 arrested: State Security

News

Sabotage against a major pipeline prevented in Georgia, 7 arrested: State Security

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-23T02:37:50+04:00 August 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: attack, blast, border, pipeline, security, sus|

TBILISI, DFWatch–The State Security Service of Georgia (SUS) claims it has prevented an attempt to blow up a gas pipeline connecting Russia and Armenia. Five people planned to set off explosives at the portion of pipeline that crosses […]

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Three die in car crash in Gori

In brief

Three die in car crash in Gori

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-22T15:05:19+04:00 August 22nd, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: traffic safety|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Three people died in a serious car accident on Sunday in Gori, a town 80km west of the capital. A small Mercedes car and a truck crashed. The driver of the truck survived and was taken to hospital. But all the occupants of the small car […]

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Georgian PM declares support for Turkey after wedding terror blast

News

Georgian PM declares support for Turkey after wedding terror blast

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-22T10:26:23+04:00 August 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Giorgi Kvirikashvili, terror attack in Gazantiep 19 August 2016|

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The head of government in Georgia on Sunday in a written statement expressed concern about the recent terrorist attack in Turkey and voiced support for the people of Turkey. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says in the statement […]

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Geno Petriashvili wins bronze in men’s frestyle 125kg wrestling

Sport

Geno Petriashvili wins bronze in men’s frestyle 125kg wrestling

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-21T13:50:46+04:00 August 21st, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Geno Petriashvili, Rio Summer Olympics 2016|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Geno Petriashvili from Georgia won bronze in men’s freestyle 125 kg wrestling in the Rio Olympics on Saturday. This is Georgia’s seventh medal in the games: two gold, one silver and four bronze medals. In the final, Petriashvili won against Tervel Dlagnev […]

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Protesters blame Georgia’s drug policy for young man’s suicide

Youth

Protesters blame Georgia’s drug policy for young man’s suicide

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-21T03:35:02+04:00 August 21st, 2016|Categories: Youth|Tags: Demur Sturua, drug policy, marijuana, Samtredia|

(Photo by Tornike Shevardnadze / Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Activists clashed with police in a town in western Georgia on Saturday. The protesters blame the government’s drug policy for driving a 22-year-old man to take his own life. Protesters gathered in front of the Samtredia […]

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Georgia’s Khinchegashvili wins Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling

Sport

Georgia’s Khinchegashvili wins Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-20T01:15:16+04:00 August 20th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Rio Summer Olympics 2016, Vladimer Khinchegashvili|

Vladimer Khinchegashvili. (1tv.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Vladimer Khinchegashvili won gold in men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling at the Rio Olympics on Friday. Georgia now has two gold medals in the games. In the final, Khinchegashvili faced Japan’s Rei Higuchi, who got silver. The first round […]

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Former first lady Sandra Roelofs UNM candidate in Zugdidi

News

Former first lady Sandra Roelofs UNM candidate in Zugdidi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-19T17:47:21+04:00 August 19th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: National Movement's 2016 election campaign, Sandra Roelofs|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s former first lady Sandra Roelofs is a candidate for parliament for her husband’s National Movement party for Zugdidi election district in the west of Georgia. Unlike her husband, Roelofs is not wanted by Georgian law enforcement, […]

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More groups coalescing around Georgian opera star

News

More groups coalescing around Georgian opera star

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-20T11:29:15+04:00 August 19th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Paata Burchuladze, State For People|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Opera star Paata Burchuladze expanded his followership on Thursday as more politicians joined his party, State for People. The merger with the New Rightists brings in politicians from a party that has a long presence in Georgian politics, but […]

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Georgian drivers can now check if their car is radioactive

News

Georgian drivers can now check if their car is radioactive

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-19T14:25:32+04:00 August 19th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: agency of nuclear and radiation security, Ministry of Environment, radioactive car check|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian drivers can now get their car examined for radioactivity. But why would they want to do that? The new radiation control service became available on Wednesday and will be handled by the agency for nuclear and radiation security […]

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Four men found guilty of bride kidnapping in Georgia

News

Four men found guilty of bride kidnapping in Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-18T19:52:54+04:00 August 18th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: bride kidnapping, Kobuleti|

Batumi City Court. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Georgia on Wednesday sentenced four men to up to 8 years in jail on Wednesday for bridenapping. The bride kidnapping took place in Kobuleti, a town on the Black Sea coast, in November last year. In her court testimony, […]

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Jehovah’s Witnesses recorded 51 cases of discrimination in 2015

Minorities, News

Jehovah’s Witnesses recorded 51 cases of discrimination in 2015

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-18T22:43:32+04:00 August 18th, 2016|Categories: Minorities, News|Tags: Jehova's Witnesses, religious discrimination, state agency on religious affairs|

A lawyer for Jehovah’s Witnesses wondered why police were not using recordings from the surveillance cameras they have installed. (Rustavi 2.) Some of the discrimination occurs when members try to hand out flyers in the streets. (Interpressnews.) Problems getting a construction permit for a new congregation house in Terjola is one of the cases mentioned in the U.S. State Department’s report. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–On November 23 last year, shots were fired at a building used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in Vazisubani, a district in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. When bullets slammed into the building again one week later, a lawyer representing the religious community wondered […]

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200 tons of produce enters Akhalgori every day

Economy

200 tons of produce enters Akhalgori every day

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-18T20:19:19+04:00 August 18th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: Akhalgori, small trade between Georgia and South Ossetia|

Mosabruni, or Razdæxæn, checkpoint. (RES.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Every day, about 200 tons of agricultural products is brought from Georgia into the Akhalgori district of South Ossetia, Sputnik Ossetia reports. Akhalgori is a part of the breakaway region which was under Georgian control until the war in 2008. Many people cross […]

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Flooded river brings Tbilisi Zoo a new baby lynx

In brief

Flooded river brings Tbilisi Zoo a new baby lynx

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-18T01:55:38+04:00 August 18th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Gogita Khunashvili, Lagodekhi, Lagodekhi nature preserve, lynx, Tbilisi Zoo|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi Zoo has a new baby lynx, which was recently discovered in Lagodekhi in eastern Georgia. The animal was discovered by ranger Gogita Khunashvili in Lagodekhi nature preserve in July, after the river Shroma was flooded, carrying […]

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Foundations being laid for second terminal at Tbilisi airport

Economy

Foundations being laid for second terminal at Tbilisi airport

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-18T19:42:24+04:00 August 17th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: Tbilisi airport|

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili (right) at the launch of construction work. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The construction of the second terminal building at Tbilisi International Airport is proceeding as planned. Currently, the foundation is being laid, a spokesperson for the airport told DFWatch. The need for a second terminal is evident in the steady […]

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Military spox claims safety rules not violated when two divers drowned

News

Military spox claims safety rules not violated when two divers drowned

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-17T21:25:43+04:00 August 17th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Iago Sharadze, missing military divers Gonio - August 2016, U.S. Georgia military cooperation|

President Margvelashvili talked with family members of the missing soldiers. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Defense Ministry claims safety regulations were not violated when two Georgian soldiers went missing Tuesday during a military exercise at sea, off the Black Sea coast. Two soldiers never made it up to the surface during a course in combat diving. […]

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Miraculous weightlifter wins first Gold for Georgia in Rio, beating World Record

Sport

Miraculous weightlifter wins first Gold for Georgia in Rio, beating World Record

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-20T01:23:56+04:00 August 17th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Rio Summer Olympics 2016, talakhadze, turmanidze, weightlifting, World Record|

Lasha Talakhadze scoring World Record. TBILISI, DFWatch–A Georgian weightlifter competing in the heaviest, +105 kg, category won the country’s first Olympic gold in these summer games, setting a new world record, while his teammate from the same weight category won bronze. Lasha Talakhadze, […]

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Wrestler Bolkvadze wins bronze, Georgia’s third medal in Rio

Sport

Wrestler Bolkvadze wins bronze, Georgia’s third medal in Rio

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-17T03:42:55+04:00 August 17th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Rio Summer Olympics 2016, Shmagi Bolkvadze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Shmagi Bolkvadze took bronze in the Rio Olympics Tuesday in the Men’s Greco-Roman 66 kg wrestling. Georgia now has two bronze and one silver medal. The two other medals were won in Judo. Bolkvadze competed against Japan’s Tomohiro Inoue, […]

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Two military divers missing off Georgia’s Black Sea coast

News

Two military divers missing off Georgia’s Black Sea coast

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-17T03:41:58+04:00 August 17th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: missing military divers Gonio - August 2016, U.S. Georgia military cooperation|

(1tv.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two Georgian soldiers are missing after diving off the Black Sea coast of Georgia during a military drill. The Defense Ministry said the two failed to resurface near Gonio in southwest Georgia near the border with Turkey. A search was immediately launched […]

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Russia begins military exercise in South Ossetia involving 5000 troops

Security

Russia begins military exercise in South Ossetia involving 5000 troops

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T19:39:01+04:00 August 16th, 2016|Categories: Security|Tags: Russian military, South Ossetia|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Russia began a military exercise in Georgia’s breakaway region South Ossetia on Monday, which will involve 5,000 soldiers, rockets and artillery. The pro-government news agency RES reports that the exercise is taking place at seven different training grounds. […]

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Georgia’s CEC revokes registration of pro-Russian party

News

Georgia’s CEC revokes registration of pro-Russian party

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T16:26:03+04:00 August 16th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Centrists TV election ad 2016, Vladimer Bedukadze|

Vladimer (“Lado”) Bedukadze. (Interpressnews.) In the free TV ad, the Centrists promised to ‘legalize the Russian military bases.’ (1tv.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Central Election Commission (CEC) in Georgia has revoked the registration of a micro-party which used its right to free advertisement to call for Russian pensions and dual citizenship, accompanied by a portrait of Vladimir Putin and Russian tanks and flags. […]

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Free Democrats promises to decriminalize all drug use

Politics

Free Democrats promises to decriminalize all drug use

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T03:18:25+04:00 August 16th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: drug policy, Free Democrats Party, marijuana, Nikoloz Pruidze|

Nikoloz Pruidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Irakli Alasania’s Free Democrats promises a liberal drug policy and the decriminalization of all forms of drugs if they come to power. But the punishment for drug dealing will be tougher, the party’s healthcare strategist Nikoloz Pruidze […]

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GD nominates candidates for parliament from Tbilisi districts

Politics

GD nominates candidates for parliament from Tbilisi districts

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T11:50:05+04:00 August 16th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Georgian Dream's 2016 election campaign, Koberidze, Kobiashvili, Mosidze, Olympics gold medalist, Schalke|

Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling Georgian Dream party on Monday nominated its majoritarian candidates in most of Tbilisi’s 21 electoral districts. The exception was the downtown Mtatsminda district, where GD refrained from nominating a candidate to support […]

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Direct foreign investments in Georgia down 11% in 2015

Economy

Direct foreign investments in Georgia down 11% in 2015

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-17T00:58:52+04:00 August 15th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: foreign investment in Georgia|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Direct foreign investments in Georgia was 11 percent less in 2015 than in 2014, according to precise data published Monday by Georgia’s National Statistics Department, GeoStat. According to the report, the amount of investments […]

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Two Georgians detained by Russians while fishing

In brief

Two Georgians detained by Russians while fishing

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T00:41:23+04:00 August 15th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: border incidents near Abkhazia|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Two Georgians were detained by a Russian border patrol on Saturday while out fishing along a river close to the breakaway region Abkhazia. Levan Morgoshia and Pridon Matkava were apprehended while standing on the left bank of the river Inguri. […]

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16 rescued from sea during the storm: MIA

In brief

16 rescued from sea during the storm: MIA

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T00:41:49+04:00 August 15th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: batumi, flood, storm, weather|

(Facebook) TBILISI, DFWatch–16 people, among them several foreign tourists, have been rescued in Adjara after a strong storm hit the Black Sea coast of Georgia on Sunday, according to a statement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The rain lasted several hours, flooding […]

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Election ad featuring Putin causes outcry in Georgia

Politics

Election ad featuring Putin causes outcry in Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-16T00:42:54+04:00 August 15th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: mistreatment of prisoners, Vladimer Bedukadze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A ten seconds long election video has caused a strong reaction from Georgia’s political establishment and calls for using legal means to stop the party behind it. The provocative advertisement ran on the Public Broadcaster’s Channel 1 Saturday night […]

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Murdered U.S. tourist was spotted arguing with suspect

Crime

Murdered U.S. tourist was spotted arguing with suspect

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-14T22:52:07+04:00 August 14th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: U.S. tourist murdered in Lechuri 12 Aug 2016|

The scene of the murder bore signs of a recent picnic when Imedi’s reporter visited. (Imedi.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Witnesses in the village where a U.S. citizen was stabbed to death Thursday night reported seeing the tourist in an argument with the suspected murderer two hours before his body was found. The motive for the murder is still unknown, but Imedi TV […]

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U.S. tourist stabbed to death in eastern Georgia

Crime

U.S. tourist stabbed to death in eastern Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-13T21:35:48+04:00 August 13th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: Lechuri, U.S. tourist murdered in Lechuri 12 Aug 2016, violent crime|

TBILISI, DFWatch–An American man of around 40 was stabbed to death in a small village in eastern Georgia Thursday night. Police have arrested a 20 year old man who is suspected of the murder. The victim, a U.S. citizen, was found dead on a road in Lechuri, […]

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Census shows only 7% Georgians living in South Ossetia

News

Census shows only 7% Georgians living in South Ossetia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-13T15:21:55+04:00 August 13th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: data on the population in South Ossetia|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s breakaway region South Ossetia has published results of a census showing that only 7 percent of the population there are ethnic Georgians. The region from which tens of thousands fled in the 2008 war today has only 3,966 Georgian residents […]

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Suspect arrested for murdering woman and burying body in wine tank

Crime

Suspect arrested for murdering woman and burying body in wine tank

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-13T03:55:00+04:00 August 13th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: woman found dead in Shakriani|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in eastern Georgia arrested a man on Friday who is suspected of bludgeoning an elderly woman to death and burying the body in a wine-making tank. The 28 year old man, who was arrested in Telavi in the Kakheti region, […]

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Aslan Abashidze, Adjara’s former ruler, sentenced in absentia to 15 years’ jail

News

Aslan Abashidze, Adjara’s former ruler, sentenced in absentia to 15 years’ jail

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-13T03:21:04+04:00 August 13th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Aslan Abashidze|

Aslan Abashidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Aslan Abashidze, the ruler of breakaway Adjara who fled the country after the Rose Revolution, was Friday sentenced in absentia to 15 years in jail for a murder 25 years ago and other crimes. […]

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National Forum politician’s home broken into

Politics

National Forum politician’s home broken into

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-13T02:03:49+04:00 August 13th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Ani Mirotadze, National Forum, Tamar Tsikhiseli|

Ani Mirotadze said the National Forum is target of a political ploy. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The home of a candidate for parliament from the National Forum was broken into Thursday night, a few days after the party’s office was robbed. Tamar Tsikhiseli told journalists that the burglars didn’t steal anything. She thinks the people […]

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PM promises better mountain roads, starting with Tusheti

In brief

PM promises better mountain roads, starting with Tusheti

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-12T12:52:15+04:00 August 12th, 2016|Categories: In brief|

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili on the election trail. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian government is planning to build a new road to the mountainous Tusheti region in the northeast of the country. The current road to Tusheti is bumpy and becomes non-traversable in winter, during which time the only access is by helicopter. […]

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Traditionalists furious at president for rejecting marriage referendum – vow massive rallies

News

Traditionalists furious at president for rejecting marriage referendum – vow massive rallies

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-11T19:59:25+04:00 August 11th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, Sandro Bregadze|

Traditionalists demonstrating in Tbilisi to defend family values May 17, 2014. (Interpressnews.) Alexandre Bregadze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The group of traditionalists behind the referendum bid to define marriage as a union of a man and a woman are fuming at the president after he shelved their proposal. The activists claim President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s decision […]

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Tbilisi’s Turtle Lake ropeway will reopen in September

News

Tbilisi’s Turtle Lake ropeway will reopen in September

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-11T13:56:55+04:00 August 11th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: ropeways, Turtle Lake, Vake Park|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A ropeway connecting the biggest park in Tbilisi with a recreational lake in the hills above will reopen in September after having been closed for seven years. Spokesperson for Tbilisi Transport Company (TTC) Gvantsa Potskhveria told DFWatch […]

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Georgian IS militant sentenced to 12 years in jail

News

Georgian IS militant sentenced to 12 years in jail

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-11T13:49:38+04:00 August 11th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Davit Borchashvili, Pankisi youth joining Islamic State|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A Georgian citizen was Wednesday sentenced to 12 years in jail for cooperating with the terrorist organization Islamic State. As most of the Georgians who have joined the Islamic State group, Davit Borhcashvili comes from Pankisi Valley. He was detained in November 2015 […]

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Georgia takes second medal at Rio Olympics

Sport

Georgia takes second medal at Rio Olympics

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-11T02:10:35+04:00 August 11th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Rio Summer Olympics 2016, Varlam Liparteliani|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Varlam Liparteliani won silver medal in men’s 90 kg judo at the Rio Olympics. This is the country’s second medal in the games. Liparteliani defeated Gwak-Dong Han from South Korea in the semi-final, but in the final round, he was […]

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Elderly woman found buried inside wine tank in her own garden

Crime

Elderly woman found buried inside wine tank in her own garden

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-11T11:24:20+04:00 August 11th, 2016|Categories: Crime|Tags: woman found dead in Shakriani|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A woman was found dead Wednesday morning, buried in her own garden inside a traditional Georgian wine-brewing tank. The macabre discovery was made in the village Shakriani, in Georgia’s eastern Kakheti region. The elderly woman […]

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Military police investigating 39-year-old corporal’s death from heart failure

News

Military police investigating 39-year-old corporal’s death from heart failure

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-10T20:55:23+04:00 August 10th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Davit Lomidze, deaths in the military in peacetime|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A 39-year-old corporal in the Georgian army died Wednesday morning, apparently from heart failure. The deceased is Davit Lomidze, a corporal in 52th Battalion of the 5th Infantry Brigade of the Eastern Command of the Land Forces, the Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday morning. […]

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Georgia’s triumphant judo win over Russia eight years after war

Sport

Georgia’s triumphant judo win over Russia eight years after war

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-10T20:30:21+04:00 August 10th, 2016|Categories: Sport|Tags: Lasha Shavdatuashvili, Nino Salukvadze, Tsotne Machavariani|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia won its first medal in the Rio Olympics on Tuesday, as Lasha Shavdatuashvili claimed the bronze medal in men’s 73kg judo. He defeated Sagi Muki from Israel in the final rounds. Earlier, he defeated Denis Yartsev of Russia in the quarter finals, […]

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National Forum office robbed in Tbilisi

In brief

National Forum office robbed in Tbilisi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-10T20:33:35+04:00 August 10th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: National Forum, parliament, robbery|

(ipn) TBILISI, DFWatch–The office of National Forum, a right wing political party, which recently split with Georgian Dream, was broken into overnight in Tbilisi. Members of the party say that the investigation is in progress and yet it is hard […]

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Georgian president blocks referendum to ban same-sex marriage

News

Georgian president blocks referendum to ban same-sex marriage

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-10T20:28:37+04:00 August 9th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, Giorgi Margvelashvili|

President Margvelashvili blocked a referendum bid to ban same-sex marriage, while PM Kvirikashvili (inset) vows to bring in a ban if he wins a large enough majority on October 8. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia will not hold a referendum over whether to have a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. President Giorgi Margvelashvili made it clear Tuesday evening that he does not support the proposed referendum about amending […]

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John Kerry’s statement on August War 8th anniversary

In brief

John Kerry’s statement on August War 8th anniversary

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-09T18:42:25+04:00 August 9th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Georgia, John Kerry, russo-georgian war, us, us-Georgia relations, war|

(official photo) Tbilisi, DFWatch – US Secretary of State John Kerry condemned occupation of Georgian territories by Russia by issuing a short statement on 8th anniversary of Russo-Georgian war. […]

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Former European wrestling champion shot dead in Kakheti

News

Former European wrestling champion shot dead in Kakheti

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-09T13:32:10+04:00 August 9th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Nodar Modebadze murder|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A former European wrestling champion was shot dead in Georgia’s eastern Kakheti region Monday evening. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Nodar Modebadze (66) was shot with a rifle in the village Akura. Police have a suspect […]

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President meets group who proposed referendum to define marriage

Politics

President meets group who proposed referendum to define marriage

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-09T11:35:39+04:00 August 9th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, Giorgi Margvelashvili|

Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Giorgi Margvelashvili will Tuesday meet the Georgians who proposed holding a referendum about defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Giorgi Abashishvili, head of the president’s administration, […]

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8 years since ’08 war: Over 2,000 civilians have been detained on disputed borders

News

8 years since ’08 war: Over 2,000 civilians have been detained on disputed borders

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-09T11:50:37+04:00 August 8th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: 2008 Russia-Georgia war, Besik Mamiauri, Giorgi Abiatari, Gocha Iluridze, Ilia Shaverdashvili, Kakha Kakhishvili, Mukhatgverdi|

TBILISI, DFWatch–As Georgia marked eight years since the war with Russia, figures show that over two thousand civilians have been detained on the provisional borders that were drawn after the end of that war. From 2009 to 2015, the number of people […]

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Georgia mulls bringing back compulsory military service

News

Georgia mulls bringing back compulsory military service

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-08T21:38:22+04:00 August 8th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: military service, recruitment, service|

Levan Izoria, recently appointed defense minister, says the ministry examines his predecessor’s decision about abolishing conscription (ipn) TBILISI, DFWatch–Compulsory military service remains a hot topic after resignation of Tina Khidasheli, who actively lobbied a shift toward voluntary service and managed to partly abolish the system during her tenure as a minister of defense. […]

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Four tourists found dead on Mount Ushba, northern Georgia

News

Four tourists found dead on Mount Ushba, northern Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-06T22:54:05+04:00 August 6th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: climbing accidents|

Mount Ushba. (gov.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Four foreign tourists were found dead on Mount Ushba in northern Georgia on Saturday. The Interior Ministry’s emergency service said the bodies are in the process of being brought down from the mountain. Authorities received notice on Friday […]

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Former UNM members join New Rightists in bloc called ‘New Choice’

Politics

Former UNM members join New Rightists in bloc called ‘New Choice’

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-06T00:22:15+04:00 August 6th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: Giorgi Vashadze, Mamuka Katsitadze, New Choice, New Rights party, Zurab Japaridze|

Zurab Japaridze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two political parties formed by ex-National Movement members together with an opposition party without representatives in parliament on Friday launched a new election bloc for the upcoming parliamentary election. The name of the new […]

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Socialists’ founding congress canceled after slapping incident

News

Socialists’ founding congress canceled after slapping incident

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-05T18:46:49+04:00 August 5th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: incidents in 2016 election campaign|

Party leader Valeri Kvaratskhelia says Socialist Georgia wants a military treaty with Russia and to create a socialist society. TBILISI, DFWatch–The new party Socialist Georgia canceled its founding congress on Thursday, after a quarrel with a protester led to the arrest of one of its members. The assembly was planned held at the music school in Telavi, a town in the eastern Kakheti region. […]

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Borjomi park partly destroyed by flooding after strong rainfall

Environment

Borjomi park partly destroyed by flooding after strong rainfall

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-05T16:44:47+04:00 August 5th, 2016|Categories: Environment|Tags: 2016 summer weather season, Borjomi Park|

TBILISI, DFWatch–A historical park in the southern Georgian resort town Borjomi was partly destroyed by flooding Thursday evening. Strong rain flooded houses and streets and trees more than a hundred years old were torn down. Infrastructure was damaged. […]

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Sudden family feud in southern Georgia leaves one man dead

News

Sudden family feud in southern Georgia leaves one man dead

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-05T11:28:07+04:00 August 5th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: family feuds, Haik Meltonian, Samson Tamarian, Tsalka|

TBILISI, DFWatch–In a small town in the south of Georgia, a disagreement between two politicians’ families resulted in the death of a 23-year-old man on July 30. The confrontation took place in the village Nardevani, in the Kvemo Kartli region. The families Tamarian […]

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Political clash outside UNM office in Batumi, one detained

In brief

Political clash outside UNM office in Batumi, one detained

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-04T22:52:25+04:00 August 4th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: incidents in 2016 election campaign|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One person was detained in western Georgia on Thursday, after a fight broke out in front of the local branch office of the National Movement (UNM). Protesters from the organization Our Homeland burned an effigy of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, […]

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One Georgian detained by South Ossetia for violating border

In brief

One Georgian detained by South Ossetia for violating border

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-04T18:16:38+04:00 August 4th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: border incidents near South Ossetia|

(DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The incident took place this morning in the village Kveshi, according to Gori municipality. Locals say 36-year-old Aleko Sheverdashvili was in his garden when armed men came and took him away. They say Sheverdashvili didn’t cross the administrative […]

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Georgian PM makes constitutional ban on same-sex marriage a campaign issue

News

Georgian PM makes constitutional ban on same-sex marriage a campaign issue

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-05T12:24:48+04:00 August 4th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: constitutional ban on same-sex marriage|

Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian prime minister on Thursday promised to change the Constitution so that it specifies marriage as a union between a man and a woman — if his party wins an absolute majority in the October 8 election. […]

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Rapist of pregnant 16-year-old girl may escape justice, group warns

News

Rapist of pregnant 16-year-old girl may escape justice, group warns

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-04T03:41:22+04:00 August 4th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Marneuli, sexual violence|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The rape of a pregnant 16-year-old girl two weeks ago may go unpunished, because the alleged rapist is not in detention, a human rights group claims. July 8, a 16-year-old married and pregnant girl was raped at knifepoint in Marneuli, […]

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Clothes market in Zestaponi partly destroyed by fire

News

Clothes market in Zestaponi partly destroyed by fire

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-04T01:52:40+04:00 August 4th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: fire safety, street vendors and bazaars, Zestaponi|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A clothes market was partly destroyed by fire in Zestaponi Tuesday night. According to the Emergency Service, more than 1,000 square meters was destroyed by the fire in the center of the western Georgian town. No one was injured. […]

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Tbilisi Zoo welcomes three lion cubs

News

Tbilisi Zoo welcomes three lion cubs

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-03T11:34:08+04:00 August 3rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: June 14 flood Tbilisi, Tbilisi Zoo|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi Zoo, which was devastated by a flood in June 2015, welcomed three new lion cubs on Monday. The zoo’s administration said the lioness Cleopatra had a complicated and protracted delivery, but it ended happily as both the mother and her offspring […]

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CEC approves referendum bid about definition of marriage

News

CEC approves referendum bid about definition of marriage

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-03T11:08:59+04:00 August 3rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: constitutional ban on same-sex marriage|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A bid to define marriage in the Constitution as a union between a man and a woman has been approved by Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) after campaigners collected more than the required 200,000 signatures. Georgia’s Civil Code already […]

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Match Fixing Plagues Georgian Football

Investigative reports

Match Fixing Plagues Georgian Football

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-03T01:21:09+04:00 August 2nd, 2016|Categories: Investigative reports|Tags: fixed matches, football, football match, georgian football|

By Giorgi Chaduneli www.ifact.ge In the last two years, there have been six cases exposed of either successful or attempted match fixing in Georgian football. Players, referees and entire teams have been fined or in some cases permanently banned from the sport. While one case has been working its way through the Tbilisi City Court system for the past year, two new suspicious matches have been uncovered. […]

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PM slams back at outgoing defense minister

News

PM slams back at outgoing defense minister

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-02T12:57:48+04:00 August 2nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: defense minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, kvirikashvili, Om, Pm|

Tbilisi, DFWatch - Comments of outgoing Defense Minister, who criticized appointment of Security Service official in her vacant seat, triggered an angry response from the Prime Minister and a member of government. "(Their) comments were very inappropriate, unfortunately. I am sure that after Batoni Davit and Kalbatoni Tina overcome emotions, they will make different comments,” said [...]

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PM, Refugee Minister slam back at Tina Khidasheli

News

PM, Refugee Minister slam back at Tina Khidasheli

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-02T13:01:07+04:00 August 2nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: khidasheli, kvirikashvili, subari, usupashvili|

Sozar Subari says that background of serving in the Security is an advantage rather that disadvantage. (IPN) Comments of outgoing Defense Minister, who criticized appointment of Security Service official to her vacant seat, triggered an angry response from the Prime Minister and a member of government. "(Their) comments were very inappropriate, unfortunately. I am [...]

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Security official appointed as a new Minister of Defense, Khidasheli sees “unhealthy trend”

In brief

Security official appointed as a new Minister of Defense, Khidasheli sees “unhealthy trend”

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-01T21:43:23+04:00 August 1st, 2016|Categories: In brief|

Levan Izoria (MIA) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Levan Izoria, a deputy head of State Security Service (SUS), and Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, deputy minister, were appointed as replacements of the ongoing ministers of defense and reconciliation respectively. […]

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Growing tension between Christians and Muslims in Adigeni

Minorities

Growing tension between Christians and Muslims in Adigeni

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-01T14:01:54+04:00 August 1st, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: Adigeni, minaret in Chela, Mokhe|

Muslims of Mokhe (DFWatch) TBILISI, DFWatch–There is growing tension between the Christian and Muslim communities in the small village Adigeni, west of Akhaltsikhe. The Samtskhe–Javakheti region, where Adigeni village is located, was historically known as Meskheti, after the Muslim Meskhs. […]

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UAE Sheikh opens upscale hotel in Tbilisi

News

UAE Sheikh opens upscale hotel in Tbilisi

By DFWatch staff| 2016-08-01T13:46:39+04:00 August 1st, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: baltimore hote, emirates, uae|

(Facebook) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Emirati minister visits Georgia to pompously inaugurate an upscale hotel in Tbilisi center. […]

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Tsereteli’s giant Christ statue nearly finished, but where will it be placed?

News

Tsereteli’s giant Christ statue nearly finished, but where will it be placed?

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-30T15:33:05+04:00 July 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: 33 meters tall Christ statue by Zurab Tsereteli, Zurab Tsereteli|

Zurab Tsereteli. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Zurab Tsereteli, a Georgian sculptor living and working in Russia, says he will soon finish a 33 meter tall statue of Christ, which he wants to erect in Mtskheta, the former capital of Georgia. “I will finish working on the Christ statue very soon. […]

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Georgia’s first wind farm to start producing in December

News

Georgia’s first wind farm to start producing in December

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-30T04:55:50+04:00 July 30th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: wind farm in Gori|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s first wind power plant will be completed in September and go into operation in December. Tornike Kazarashvili, president of the board of directors of Kartli wind power plant, told DFWatch that construction work began in March, […]

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Update: A Pankisi man detained for a threatening Facebook post

In brief

Update: A Pankisi man detained for a threatening Facebook post

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-29T22:35:06+04:00 July 29th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: Counter-terrorism, Facebook, Pankisi, Shishani|

The threatening post (On.ge) Tbilisi, DFWatch – State Security Service of Georgia launched a probe into a possible terror threat distributed by Facebook on Thursday evening. […]

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NDI polls: Only four parties performed above electoral barrier

News

NDI polls: Only four parties performed above electoral barrier

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-29T14:33:02+04:00 July 29th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Georgian Dream, national movement, ndi, polls, UNM|

Tbilisi, DFWatch – The National Democratic Institute released the results of the latest survey which details Georgians’ political affiliations before the upcoming parliamentary elections in October 2016. […]

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Nigerian student accuses Georgian bank of discrimination

Minorities

Nigerian student accuses Georgian bank of discrimination

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-29T14:22:46+04:00 July 29th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: discrimination, minority, nigeria, racism|

(Netgazeti photo) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Nigerian national, Solomon Adebayo Okeleye accused Bank of Georgia of racial discrimination for limiting his and other Nigerian students’ right to use payment cards. […]

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Kaladze apologises for a sexist remark

News

Kaladze apologises for a sexist remark

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-28T14:49:30+04:00 July 28th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: energy minister, feminism, Kakhi Kaladze, kaladze, sexism|

Tbilisi, DFWatch – Deputy prime minister and minister of energy Kakha Kaladze apologised for sexist remarks he made while commenting on President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s statement about ‘undue connections between political groups and law enforcement’ in the context of the dispute over the Constitutional Court. […]

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Frontera Bankruptcy Strategy Criticized

News

Frontera Bankruptcy Strategy Criticized

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-29T18:11:20+04:00 July 27th, 2016|Categories: News|

ifacts.ge Frontera Resources, the American oil-and-gas company that has been exploring and drilling in Kakheti since 1997, is being harshly criticized for trying to evade a $30 million debt payment due August 1. […]

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‘Undue connections between political groups and law enforcement’

News

‘Undue connections between political groups and law enforcement’

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-27T06:32:36+04:00 July 26th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Giorgi Margvelashvili, incidents in 2016 election campaign, politicized law enforcement|

President Georgi Margvelashvili. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili political groups have informal connections with law enforcement and other state bodies and are using them for political purposes. “This trend is used for political goals,” the president said on Monday, […]

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Two members of opera singer’s opposition party detained

Elections

Two members of opera singer’s opposition party detained

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-26T01:39:45+04:00 July 26th, 2016|Categories: Elections|Tags: Paata Burchuladze|

Paata Burchuladze during Independence Day celebrations, May 26. (Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Sunday night, police in Georgia detained two members of a newly formed opposition party led by the opera singer Paata Burchuladze. The two members of State for People were detained outside the party office in Temka, a northern district […]

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Catholics win discrimination lawsuit in Georgia

Minorities

Catholics win discrimination lawsuit in Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-26T14:29:59+04:00 July 25th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: Catholicism in Georgia|

(DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Catholics in Rustavi, 20km south of the Georgian capital, have won a court’s backing that they were discriminated against after failing to get a construction permit to build a church there. The Catholic community in Rustavi applied for permission […]

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Militants release all hostages in Yerevan, but stand-off continues

Caucasus region

Militants release all hostages in Yerevan, but stand-off continues

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-24T11:28:23+04:00 July 24th, 2016|Categories: Caucasus region|Tags: Yerevan hostage crisis July 2016|

(Armenpress.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of up to 25 armed militants occupying a police building in Yerevan released all their hostages Saturday but refused to surrender, demanding the president’s resignation and the formation of an interim government. […]

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Georgia reacts to Munich shooting

News

Georgia reacts to Munich shooting

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-23T23:58:05+04:00 July 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: shooting in Munich 22 July 2016|

Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia. TBILISI, DFWatch–The Foreign Ministry extended its condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity with the government of Germany. Nine people were killed in a shooting rampage in Munich at a McDonald’s restaurant Friday evening, in addition to the […]

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Interpol halts search for Georgian public enemy number one

News

Interpol halts search for Georgian public enemy number one

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-24T11:39:20+04:00 July 23rd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Igor Giorgadze|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Interpol has called off its search for the Georgian former intelligence chief Igor Giorgadze, who has been a staple of domestic politics as the preeminent ’bad guy’. Giorgadze is accused of having organized an assassination attempt […]

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Two rugby players among injured in deadly car crash in western Georgia

News

Two rugby players among injured in deadly car crash in western Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-22T14:59:49+04:00 July 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Giorgi Lominadze, Merab Kvirikashvili, traffic safety|

(Palitra TV.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two Georgian rugby players are among the injured after a deadly car crash in western Georgia in which three people died and four were injured. The accident happened last night when a BMW and a Nissan Tiida crashed on the Kutaisi-Samtredia […]

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Georgia’s jailed ex-interior minister thinks Strasbourg ruling will free him

News

Georgia’s jailed ex-interior minister thinks Strasbourg ruling will free him

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-22T12:53:17+04:00 July 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: Vano Merabishvili|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s former interior minister Vano Merabishvili, who has been in prison since May 2013, claims a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will soon lead to his release. After a two years’ silence, Merabishvili […]

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Russian lawmakers demand punishment of Georgia for joining EU sanctions

Economy

Russian lawmakers demand punishment of Georgia for joining EU sanctions

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-21T15:46:55+04:00 July 21st, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: Ian Zelinsky, Russian embargo on Georgian wine, sanctions against Russia 2014|

Ian Zelinsky represents the far-right LDP party, which is led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky. (zelinski.info) TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of lawmakers in the Russian Duma are preparing to demand that the Kremlin take punitive measures against Georgia for joining the European Union’s economic sanctions against Russia. The Duma’s foreign relations committee is working […]

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Four dead as truck overturns in western Georgia

In brief

Four dead as truck overturns in western Georgia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-21T15:27:59+04:00 July 21st, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: traffic safety|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Four people died when a truck crashed in western Georgia on Thursday. The accident happened in Lugela Valley near the village Nukhuri. According to Interpressnews, the truck of the brand Kamaz crashed and overturned after the driver lost control […]

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65-year-old German missing for one week near breakaway Abkhazia

News

65-year-old German missing for one week near breakaway Abkhazia

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-20T17:46:18+04:00 July 20th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: crimes against foreigners, tourists victims of crime|

TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia are still searching for Sergei Smislov, a 65-year-old German citizen who disappeared one week ago on a mountain road near Georgia’s breakaway territory Abkhazia. Shortly before he disappeared, Smislov received […]

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President claims Georgian media have become more anti-Western

Media

President claims Georgian media have become more anti-Western

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-20T16:32:15+04:00 July 20th, 2016|Categories: Media|Tags: East / West bias in Georgian media|

President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili claims the media in his country are publishing more anti-Western stories now than they used to. In an interview with the program ‘Archevani’ on Rustavi 2 TV Tuesday evening, he said it was […]

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Russian woman missing in Kazbegi after climbers struck by lightning

In brief

Russian woman missing in Kazbegi after climbers struck by lightning

By DFWatch staff| 2016-07-20T16:17:35+04:00 July 20th, 2016|Categories: In brief|Tags: climbing accidents, Kazbegi, mountain rescue operations|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A woman is missing after a group of three climbers were struck by lightning at 5,000 m altitude yesterday in the Kazbegi mountains. Two of the group were injured, and later rescued, but the third – a woman from Moscow – went missing. […]

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