Davit Narmania. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Dream coalition has chosen Davit Narmania, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, as its candidate for mayor of Tbilisi. Narmania is thought to be one of the best ministers in the new government. The decision was made by […]
From left to right: Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili and Chairman of the Joint Staff Vakhtang Kapanadze. (Photo published on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Vakhtang Kapanadze has been appointed as chairman of the Joint Staff of Georgia’s armed forces, replacing Irakli Dzneladze. Who should take over as head of the Joint Staff was subject of a conflict between ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili and […]
A view of the Khevsureti mountains. (Photo by mtskheta-mtianeti.gov.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The mountainous Pshav-Khevsureti region in the northeast of Georgia is to be made a protected area. This is a historical region and remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The environment committee in parliament has proposed […]
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (left) and U.S. Senator John McCain. (Photo published on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The first week after leaving office, former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili remained abroad and Thursday met members of the U.S. Congress in Washington. Among the around twenty politicians Saakashvili met on the Hill was Republican Senator John […]
Ex Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili (right) received the Supreme Order of Justice. (Photo published on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili has been awarded the Supreme Order of Justice. The award is given once a year by the World Jurist Association (WJA) to a person and one cleric for their work for peace and justice. WJA President […]
Akaki Tsereteli. TBILISI, DFWatch–UNESCO has placed the 100 year anniversary of the death of Georgian poet Akaki Tsereteli on a list of important events in 2014-2015. Tsereteli was born in 1840 and died in 1915 and is considered the best Georgian poet in this period. He also was […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Commission is satisfied with how Georgia has completed first phase of a visa action plan which might lead to visa free travel with the EU. The evaluation is particularly important because compliance with the action plan is expected to be […]
Narikala Castle in Tbilisi. (Photo published by Tbilisi.gov.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Parliament in Georgia is discussing a draft law about cultural heritage which may remove the protected status of 6 319 historic sites. Among the sites are Borjomi Park in southern Georgia and Romanov Palace in Abastumani, as well as Narikala Castle, […]
Zurab Abashidze and Grigory Karasin, negotiators for Georgia and Russia, respectively. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia and Russia met for the fifth time Thursday in Prague within the diplomatic channel established by the government that came to power a year ago. After the meeting, Georgia’s representative Zurab Abashidze said discussions dealt with practical […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Residents of ‘Dream Town’ – a settlement of homeless families in Adjara – ask the region’s authorities to give them shelter. The shantytown residents rallied against the government’s decision to give only 15 families shelter, while there are a few […]
Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–At the end of his two year run as a politician, former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has published an open letter that rebuts speculations about his future plans. In the letter, titled ‘Postscript’, Ivanishvili writes that he only wants to answer one […]
Aditti’s hospital in Kharagauli as it looked when DF Watch visited last July. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–All the Georgian hospitals which were owned by the Israeli company Aditti have now become government property. Aditti owned hospitals in nine regions of Georgia. Most of them are in a difficult condition and doctors at those hospitals have protested […]
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--EU's Foreign Affairs Council has agreed to sign and conclude an agreement establishing a framework for the participation of Georgia in EU's crisis management operations. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia document called Framework Agreement on the Participation of Georgia in EU Crisis Management [...]
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. (Photo posted on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili has signed a document which appoints former interior minister Irakli Gharibsahvili as prime minister. The new president also has been asked to sign a document by which parliament declares its trust in the new […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The acting Georgian finance minister on Wednesday met with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss priorities in next year’s budget and the country’s macroeconomic indicators. Mark Griffiths, head of the IMF mission, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–40 000 households in Georgia are without electricity due to bad weather. According to Energo-Pro Georgia, which distributes electricity to consumers, 50 000 households have been without electricity since morning, but power supply to 10 000 of them has now been restored. […]
Deputy Prison Minister Giga Giorgadze. (Ministry photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prison Ministry in Georgia is considering closing the women’s prison, where new figures showed that 17 % of inmates are hepatitis C positive. The prisoners in Rustavi women’s facility will be transferred to another facility, but it is still […]
Irakli Gharibashvili in parliament Tuesday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Parliament plans to confirm the new government on Wednesday. On Tuesday, parliamentary committees listened to speeches by the minister candidates and asked them questions. A sharp exchange developed between Prime Minister candidate Irakli […]
Chairman of the Georgian Supreme Court, Kote Kublashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s High Council of Justice on Tuesday elected 12 new judges. There were 59 candidates present at the session. Each candidate needed at least ten votes out of the 13 members of the council in order to be elected. 41 out of the 59 candidates […]
New Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Acting Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili promises that those who ordered and organized the so-called Khurcha incident in 2008 will be identified and punished. A few weeks ago, police detained two former government officials on suspicion of having organized […]
Acting Prison Minister Sozar Subari. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The acting prison minister in Georgia says screening procedures have revealed a very high level of hepatitis C infections in prisons. Sozar Subari said Tuesday at a session with parliamentary committees that the ratio of infected inmates at the […]
Irakli Gharibashvili presented a government with the same people as before, except for new Interior Minister Alexandre Chikaidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian prime minister in waiting Irakli Gharibashvili on Monday named his new cabinet. It lists the same people as before the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili, with the exception of Gharibashvili’s post as interior minister which will be […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–With the inauguration of the new president in Georgia, many things will be different. We give you a rundown of the main changes. After the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili as the new president, the new Constitution came into force. These amendments […]
Eka Khutsishvili. I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.-Thomas JeffersonThe judiciary is in permanent need of control from the side of an impartial and quality observer with a view to ensuring its existence. We are still on […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia and Israel have formed an agreement which allows Georgian citizens to stay in Israel for 90 days without a visa. Acting Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili and Israel’s Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirshenbaum on Monday signed an […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in January-October 2013 was one percent more than in the same period the year before. According to preliminary data from the National Statistics Department, the total amount of foreign trade turnover in the first ten […]
Photo published by EUMM. TBILISI, DFWatch–The Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRM) met for the 39th time on Friday. According to the Interior Ministry, Georgia raised the issue of the installation of barbed wire and fences by Russian soldiers in the villages Ergneti, Ditsi and […]
Activists demand a stop in large hydro power dams that threaten villages and the environment. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two separate demonstrations went on on the street outside during the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili in the yard of the old parliament building in Tbilisi on Sunday. Labor party leader Shalva Natelashvili rallied supporters and said that the […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili has instructed the majority in parliament to form a new government. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–With the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili as president on Sunday, the government is now suspended, but continues as an acting government until parliament has confirmed a new government that will be presented by the president. Parliament will […]
After the swearing in ceremony, President Giorgi Margvelashvili addressed guests in the yard of the old parliament building in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Giorgi Margvelashvili was Sunday sworn in as the fourth president of Georgia at a ceremony held in the yard of the old parliament building in Tbilisi. The text of the oath says he swears to protect Georgia’s Constitution, independence of the state, […]
New Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili addressed guests in the yard of the old parliament building in Tbilisi. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili was held today in the yard of the old parliament building in Tbilisi. The schedule of the day’s events is the following: at 13:00, the inauguration started and was expected to last for 45 minutes. The new […]
Guards began letting in people in groups of 30, but later let visitors enter the presidential palace freely. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili has awarded former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton the Golden Fleece award. Saakashvili is leaving office on Sunday, and in a flurry of activity handed out awards and distinctions to more than a thousand people. […]
The railway workers achieved a signed deal with Georgian Railway and have called off the strike. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two thousand railway workers in Georgia ended their strike yesterday, after successful negotiations with the company. Talks between workers and the Georgian Railway management board lasted for six hours and all three demands the workers brought with […]
Georgia’s Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s justice minister has asked her French colleague to extradite a former defense minister who faces two separate criminal cases at home. Former Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili left Georgia for France after the National Movement lost the […]
Photo published on Mikheil Saakashvili’s Facebook page. TBILISI, DFWatch–Outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili says he will ‘temporarily’ leave politics and may go on to work within science. In an open letter posted on Facebook on Friday, Saakashvili explained why he will not attend the inauguration of Giorgi […]
Fourteen people were arrested as police broke up brothels in Batumi and Gonio. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia have detained owners and administrators of fourteen hotels and clubs in Batumi and Gonio for allocating space for prostitution. Police in Adjara conducted a coordinated operation in the coast cities of Batumi and Gonio which led to […]
Giga Bokeria has resigned as Secretary of Georgia’s National Security Council. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Secretary of Georgia’s National Security Council, Giga Bokeria, has resigned a few days before the inauguration of the new president. Bokeria’s letter of resignation is dated November 15 and addressed to the president’s administration, which says […]
Mikheil Saakashvili is in Europe and does not plan to come home for the inauguration of Georgia’s new president. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili and other top people in the National Movement party will not attend the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili as new president on Sunday. In a statement, the UNM says their people have acted in line with ‘civil standards’ […]
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has sent outgoing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili a thank you letter. In the letter, which was published by Saakashvili’s administration, Rasmussen thanks the Georgian leader for his ‘good […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Two thousand railway workers went on strike in Georgia Thursday, demanding overtime pay, bonus system and entitlements. The workers on strike have three main demands: compensation for overtime, a transparent system for award payments and to have […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A man suspected of injuring a policeman in Zugdidi, a town in western Georgia, was released on Thursday on a 2 000 lari (USD 1200) bail. Zugdidi City Court satisfied the appeal by the Prosecutor’s Office to release the suspect on bail. The suspect will have […]
The planned homeless shelter. (Channel One.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Church, the Patriarchate, is against the opening of a shelter for homeless people. The plan has been proposed by the organization Identoba, which protects the rights of LGBT people in Georgia. A private individual donated a building […]
The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A protest was held Wednesday in Zugdidi, in western Georgia, by relatives of a man detained for injuring a policeman a few days ago. Their demand was to have him released. But the suspect surrendered to the police and admitted having injured […]
Tbilisi, DFWatch – Lithuanian President, President of Federal Council of Austria, Vice Speaker of Parliament of Czech Republic, also Secretary General of OSCE and NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative in South Caucasus and Central Asia […]
Five of the Public Defender’s staff are out in a dispute about the conditions of former government officials in jail. (Pirveli.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Three employees at the Public Defender’s office in Georgia have resigned, and two have been fired, after disagreement over a visit to former prison minister Bacho Akhalaia in jail. Marina Gigineishvili, Amiran Nikolaishvili and Guram Bendiashvili, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has downgraded its prognosis for Georgia’s economic growth in 2013 from 3 to 2 percent. EBRD said a few days ago that the GDP growth will also be reduced from 5 to 4 percent and the level of […]
CEC spokeswoman Eka Azarashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The final results of the presidential election on October 27 show that Giorgi Margvelashvili of the Georgian Dream coalition received 62.12 percent of votes, Davit Bakradze from the National Movement received 21.72 percent and Nino Burjanadze, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A policeman was brutally attacked in western Georgia Tuesday, after locals accused him of having raped a woman. Local media reported that the policeman was found naked, with a broken leg, and in a pool of blood near the presidential residence in […]
President-elect Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The newly elected president of Georgia is considering showing up at the winter Olympics in Sochi, despite his country’s strained relationship with Russia. A few days ago, president-elect Giorgi Margvelashvili said in an interview with Russia’s […]
Maia Panjikidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU will be initiated by Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani during the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius November 28-29. Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze said this on Monday. The text of the agreement, […]
USS Mount Whitney. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Five days before the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili as new president, he and other members of the current government will join outgoing president Mikheil Saakashvili for an event aboard a U.S. naval ship docked in Batumi. Also outgoing Prime […]
მინარეთის დემონტაჟი ჭელაში (DF Watch.) სოფელ ჭელაში მინარეთის დემონტაჟის ირგვლივ კონფლიქტი ჯერ კიდევ არ გადაწყვეტილა. ადგილობრივები განაგრძობენ ბრძოლას, რომ მინარეთი თავის ადგილს დაუბრუნდეს. აცხადებენ, რომ კონსტიტუციაში არსებული რელიგიის თავისუფლების მუხლი მათ იცავს. მინარეთი, რომელიც ზაფხულში სოფელ ჭელაში მდებარე მეჩეთთან დაამონტაჟეს, მეორე დღესვე მოხსნეს. ამან გამოიწვია კონფლიქტი მუსლიმებსა და ქრისტიანებს შორის, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ მანამდე, [...]
The minaret is still in storage outside Chela, while locals hope the government will solve the conflict. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The conflict over a minaret that was dismantled in a small Georgian village is far from over. Locals are continuing their fight to have the minaret restored, and claim that the guarantee of freedom of religion in the Georgian Constitution supports […]
Maia Panjikidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is expecting representatives of 30 countries to attend the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili as new president on November 17. Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze said Monday that among the guests will be two or three presidents, speakers […]
A typical gas heater. (Tbilisi City Hall Website.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, natural gas is cheaper than electricity, so more and more people use it for heating in winter. But the safety of the devices is far below any acceptable level. A young married couple and their 4 year old daughter died after a gas leak […]
The National Movement’s new party banner was taken down from the palace flagpole Sunday at noon. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Sunday at noon, the Georgian national flag was back up on the presidential residence in Tbilisi. On Saturday, the National Movement party banner with four hearts and a cross was flying above the building. The government accused the president […]
Refugees demonstrating in 2012. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Ministry of Refugees will provide 85 refugee families with apartments on Monday. The apartments, which are located on Kvareli Street in Tbilisi, were distributed to families of internally displaced persons (IDPs) by use of secret ballot, […]
Stella went down after hitting a reef near the Greek island Karpathos. (MaritimeTraffic.com.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The captain of the sunken freighter Stella has been declared lost as the rescue work ended November 5, according to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry. In a statement, the ministry says yacht clubs, harbors and ships sailing near the site of the accident […]
The National Movement party’s banner flying above the presidential residence in Avlabari, Tbilisi. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president’s administration Saturday raised the National Movement party banner atop the presidential palace in Tbilisi. The flag has four hearts and a cross, instead of five crosses, as is on the Georgian national flag. The government […]
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania (left) and French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Defense Minister Irakli Alasania Friday met with his French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian at the French Defense Ministry. They discussed military-industrial cooperation between Georgia and France and future plans. Alasania said they discussed […]
Georgia’s new Interior Minister Alexandre Chikaidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Police Colonel Alexandre Chikaidze will replace Irakli Gharibashvili and become new Georgian Interior Minister. Chikaidze was presented by Prime Minister Gharibashvili on Saturday. The 28 year-old Chikaidze graduated from Tbilisi State […]
Georgian Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili (left) and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili yesterday finished a one week visit to Lithuania and Latvia. He said Georgia’s friends are ready to support its integration with Europe at the summit of the Eastern Partnership’s in Vilnius November 28-29, […]
The Georgian National Bank. TBILISI, DFWatch–The exchange rate of Georgian lari against the US dollar and the euro has fallen. November 8, the exchange rate of lari against USD was 1.6793. November 7 it was 1.6737. The rate has been falling for one week. October 29 it was 1.6675. The Georgian lari […]
Zeev Elkin, the Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The deputy foreign minister of Israel says relations with Georgia have warmed during the last year. Zeev Elkin, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel, also says that the agreement about visa free travel between the two states will soon […]
The likely new chief prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor Archil Kbilashvili resigned on Thursday. His replacement, Otar Partskhaladze, was presented Friday. It has not been officially confirmed, but unofficially known that Partskhaladze will leave his job as chairman […]
Sulkhan Saladze is project coordinator at Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association. Since some days after the 2013 presidential elections, much has been said about the millions spent from the President’s Reserve Fund. Representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream Coalition allege that funds from the President’s Reserve Fund were spent for party […]
Davit Chaginava. (Police.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Austria has extradited a Georgian citizen who is charged with torture and was being searched for by Interpol. According to the Interior Ministry, Davit Chaginava, who was detained in Austria September 30, has been extradited to Georgia. Interpol has […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Police are investigating an attack on the head of the campaign office for Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili in Sagarejo, in eastern Georgia, in the evening of Election Day. Ivane Kvrivishvili was attacked by members of the Georgian Dream […]
Former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili held a speech in court about his police reforms. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The trial against former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili for the violent dispersal of an anti-government protest in 2011 will begin November 19. It was on May 26, 2011, that an anti-government protest in front of parliament was brutally dispersed […]
Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili assures foreign diplomats that he is hoping the new government and president will succeed and make the economy boom. Meeting with foreign diplomats at the president’s palace in Tbilisi on Wednesday to sum up the […]
Vyacheslav Chirikba. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has ruled out that there will be signed a non-use of force treaty with Abkhazia, because the country does not sign treaties with the breakaway regions. Vyacheslav Chirikba, de facto Foreign Minister of the breakaway region Abkhazia, said after […]
Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The president’s reserve fund will be cut from USD 30 million to 15 million for next year. Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri said Wednesday that two months before the end of the year, the president’s reserve fund is empty. He said the president spent […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili has pardoned one more person convicted in the so-called prison riot case and awarded him with Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali of the first class. Revaz Charbadze, a former chairman of the purchasing department of the Defense […]
Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili is planning to grant Georgian citizenship to more people before he leaves office. In a statement on Tuesday, the president’s administration invites anyone who wants Georgian citizenship to apply now. Many people have […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s National Communications Commission (GNCC) has confirmed that Russian mobile operator MTC is providing network coverage in villages that border on the breakaway region South Ossetia. GNCC has repeatedly monitored the radiofrequency […]
Sukhumi, the main town in breakaway Abkhazia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor’s Office in Russia has asked Georgia to extradite a man suspected of murdering a Russian diplomat in Abkhazia two months ago. Russian media write that the Russian Prosecutor’s Office has sent an official request to Georgia asking […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–There were 14.1 percent more visitors to Georgia in October, compared to last year, according to the Interior Ministry’s monthly report. The number of visitors in October was 480 510. In the entire first ten months of this year, there were 4 556 […]
Georgian wine. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia wants to hold a presentation of wine during the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius later this month. Representatives of the Foreign Affairs Ministry explain that Georgia is in negotiations with the organizers about holding a […]
Nicolas Sarkozy (left) and Mikheil Saakashvili. (President’s administration.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday met with ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. According to the president’s press office, the main topic of their conversation was Georgia’s integration with Europe and the importance of the […]
President-elect Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili and ex-president Eduard Shevardnadze are invited to the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili, the newly elected president. Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze, who is a member of the government commission for the […]
Coastal freighter Stella. (MaritimeTraffic.com.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A ship with Georgian crew Saturday went down in the Aegean Sea. Five of the crew members were rescued, but the captain is missing and a search is underway. According to Maritime Bulletin, the small freighter Stella had a crew of six when it sank for […]
The presidential palace in Avlabari, Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The new government plans to open a Georgian-American technical university in the building in Avlabari, Tbilisi, which today is used as presidential palace. The palace which lies on a cliff above the capital was built a few years ago, and still […]
Khatuna Samnidze (left) and Davit Usupashvili (right). (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Republican Party, which is member of the Georgian Dream coalition, Sunday elected a new leader at a party congress. The party elected Khatuna Samnidze as new leader. She has been a party member since 2005 and has served as organizational […]
New barbed wire in Dvani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A new round of Geneva talks will be held November 5-6. It is the 25th time the warring parties of the 2008 Russia-Georgian war meet, and one of the main topics of discussion will be freedom of movement and the installation of barbed wire and fences. […]
Bacho Akhalaia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili will pardon former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia, who was recently sentenced to three years and nine months in jail. Saakashvili explains his decision in a long open letter, recalling the time when his government was […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has been accepted as member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the country is elected as member for a period from 2014 to 2016. The election for new ECOSOC members was held […]
Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s new prime minister, Irakli Gharibashvili, will select his own replacement as interior minister. It was earlier thought that outgoing Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili would decide who will take over as Interior Minister. Ivanishvili explained that now […]
Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Bidzina Ivanishvili on Saturday announced Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili as candidate for new prime minister. Ivanishvili presented the new PM at a press conference at the Georgian Dream coalition headquarters at 15:15. “According to the new […]
Georgia is looking into what Russian telecom company MTC is doing in the breakaway region South Ossetia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s National Communications Commission (GNCC) has started monitoring of the radio frequency spectrum in order to learn the activity of MTC, a Russian mobile company. The monitoring is done to find out what MTC is doing on the territory of Georgia, […]
Irina Imerlishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Irina Imerlishvili, a member of parliament from the Georgian Dream coalition, will be new secretary of Georgia’s National Security Council. She confirmed to journalists that she has received such an offer and accepted, which means that as soon as […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will today name his successor. The Georgian Dream political council will first discuss this issue after which Prime Minister will present the candidate to the parliament majority. Ivanishvili will meet with Georgian […]
Bacho Akhalaia will send an appeal to President Saakashvili, asking him for a pardon. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia will send an appeal to the president asking to pardon him as soon as possible. Akhalaia, who faced a number of charges after the change of government, was acquitted in two of the cases, and sentenced to three […]
Voting on election day. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–National Democratic Institute (NDI) says after observing the election campaign and the October 27 election that a multiparty and competitive election is becoming routine in Georgian politics. NDI’s observer mission consisted of a 20-member group, who […]
The new parliament building in Kutaisi was opened in 2012. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Judiciary Committee in parliament supports a constitutional amendment to move parliament back to the capital Tbilisi. For the last year and a half, parliament has been located in Kutaisi, in western Georgia. Thursday, the […]
Davit Kezerashvili was defense minister during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in France has confirmed the detention of former Georgian Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili. Kezerashvili is charged with abuse of powers while he was defense minister and was detained at Nice airport on October 15. A court placed him in 40 […]
Stalin monument in Akura, Kakheti. (Channel 1.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is planning to fine the use of communist symbols with 1 000 lari (USD 600). The use of communist symbols was prohibited by the previous government, but it failed to define the sanctions that apply, and the law has remained inactive. Now, the […]
President Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili has pardoned 248 prisoners, 170 of whom had their sentence stricken from their criminal record. 56 had their sentence reduced to half, while 5 received a lighter sentence. Among those pardoned are former government […]
Bacho Akhalaia was acquitted along with seven others for abuse of special unit employees. The prosecutor will appeal the ruling. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court found Bacho Akhalaia not guilty of abusing seven special unit employees, a case which has been under review for two months. The former defense minister was on trial for mistreatment and torture for political reasons of seven special […]
Tengiz Dzvelaia. (Channel 1.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Father of Goga Dzvelaia, who allegedly committed suicide in Kutaisi’s prison no 2 a few weeks ago, claims that the prison ministry showed him footage of another person instead of his son. On Tuesday, the family watched 24 hours of a surveillance tape which […]
Samar Chokutayev, the suspect in the jihad video case. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Interpol has issued a red alert in the search for Samar Chokutaev, the alleged perpetrator behind the so-called jihad videos against Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan. The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia sent documents to Interpol asking to launch […]
Aslan Usoyan, also known as Ded Hassan, was murdered in Moscow in January, 2013. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Rome have detained three Georgians who are suspected of murdering the Russian mafia boss Ded Hassan in January, 2013. 76 year-old Aslan Usoyan, also known as Ded Hassan, or Grandpa Hassan, was shot in the head by a sniper when he was […]
Observers from six eastern European countries found minor irregularities in Georgia’s presidential election. (EILAT.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Task Force (TF) gives Sunday’s election a positive evaluation, but also highlights several violations. The task force consisted of seven observers from Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine and Poland, […]
The inauguration of newly elected president Giorgi Margvelashvili (right) will be financed by the government’s reserve fund. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili left. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The inauguration of the new president will be financed from the government’s reserve fund, Georgia’s finance minister says. Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri said Wednesday that there is not enough money in the president’s reserve fund to finance […]
Koba Davitashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Koba Davitashvili, a member of parliament from the Georgian Dream coalition and leader of the People’s Party, says he is leaving politics because of a lack of support. Davitashvili says he realized after the recent presidential election that he […]
Stanislav Lakoba. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Stanislav Lakoba, Secretary of the de facto Security Council of Abkhazia, who is in the de facto government for years and is known for having anti-Georgian views, has been fired. According to Russian and Abkhazian media, Alexander Ankvab, the de facto […]
Former Prison Minister Bacho Akhalaia on the day of his detention, November 7, 2012. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Georgia has sentenced a former government minister to three years and nine months in jail for his role in a prison riot in 2006. Bacho Akhalaia, former Prison, Defense and Interior Minister, was charged together with Davit Chakua, Revaz […]
Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, says mobile phones get connected to MTC when 200 meters from the de facto border. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia is preparing to sue the Russian communications network MTC. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said Monday at a press conference that he met with Polish journalists on Sunday and received information that the area near the […]
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The United States has congratulated the Georgian people on holding a peaceful presidential election. A statement published on the State Department website says the presidential election on October 27 was an important step for Georgia’s democratic […]
Mikheil Saakashvili bid farewell to the Georgian people in a last televised address. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s outgoing president Mikheil Saakashvili has left for Brussels to meet with Chairman of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. Before leaving, Saakashvili held a last televised address from his palace. He thanked people for giving […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The parliament in Georgia will continue working from Thursday. At noon, a plenary session will start, and before that a session of bureau will be held to agree on the timetable. The first issue for parliament will be to approve a new government, as […]
EU’s foreign policy spokesperson Catherine Ashton said Georgia has shown strong democratic credentials. (EU.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In statements to the media, NATO, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are celebrating Sunday’s election as a historic step forward for democracy in Georgia. The Organization for Security and Cooperation […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Giorgi Margvelashvili has picked the person who will be new secretary of Georgia’s National Security Council. At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, he avoided naming who the new secretary is, but said he has his own […]
There won’t be any political prosecutions in Georgia, says newly elected president Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Giorgi Margvelashvili, who is to be the fourth president of Georgia after the inauguration on November 17, promises that there won’t be political prosecution in the country. Monday he appeared next to Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili at a post- […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has again postponed the naming of his successor, saying it needs to be discussed in the Georgian Dream political council first. Ivanishvili said Monday at a press conference that he hopes the candidate for new prime […]
Newly elected president Giorgi Margvelashvili will be sworn in November 17. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s new president will sworn in on November 17. The location of the inauguration and other details are unknown. After the swearing-in ceremony, the new president will be empowered to use his authority granted by the Constitution, and the […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili from Georgian Dream won a majority of votes also among Georgian ISAF-soldiers in Afghanistan. (CEC.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili received most votes among Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan. Margvelashvili won over Davit Bakradze, from the National Movement, at two election precincts for Georgian soldiers serving in the NATO-led […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili Sunday night greeted jubilant supporters at the Georgian Dream coalition’s headquarters. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Giorgi Margvelashvili thanked all his supporters and Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili Sunday night, after exit polls showed he had won the Georgian presidential election in the first round. “Thanks to every citizen […] to the members of [my campaign] staff, […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili (left) had 62 % support as 95 % percent of votes were counted. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili (right). (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili has received 62 percent of the votes in the Georgian presidential election after 95% of the votes have been counted, Georgia’s Central Election Committee (CEC) announced. This is slightly less than two […]
Two exit polls show that Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili has won the presidential election. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Dream coalition’s candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili is predicted to win Georgia’s presidential election in the first round. Two exit polls show Margvelashvili winning clearly. According to an exit poll by the German company GFK on the order of […]
At 3 pm Sunday voter turnout was 32%, 13 less than last year. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Despite low turnout, the legitimacy of today’s election is not in question, says Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC). By 15:00, 32 percent had voted. In 2012’s parliamentary election, the turnout at 15:00 was 45 percent. A spokesperson for […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili said Georgia held an unprecedented peaceful election. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The main candidates in Georgia’s presidential election Sunday cast their vote. Giorgi Margvelashvili from the Georgian Dream coalition arrived at the precinct with his daughter. He said he has voted for a step forward for Georgia. Margvelashvili […]
Frontrunner Giorgi Margvelashvili from Georgian Dream. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–At noon, voter turnout in Georgia’s presidential election was highest in the Racha region (29%) in the mid north part of the country and in Guria (24%) in the south west. Overall turnout at noon was 17 %, as just over 600 000 out of 3.5 million who are […]
Nino Burjanadze rallying supporters in Telavi October 24, 2013. (Photo published on Burjanadze’s Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Nino Burjanadze, presidential candidate and leader of the Democratic Movement, on Saturday sent an open letter of thanks to the interior minister which was published by the media. A day before the election, she sent a ‘thank you’ letter […]
Voting-papers being prepared at precinct no 4 in Tbilisi on Sunday. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Today, Georgia is holding presidential election. This is the sixth presidential election in the country, but since Mikheil Saakashvili and Eduard Shevardnadze were elected twice, people will elect the fourth president of Georgia. There are 23 candidates […]
1 576 prisoners will be entitled to vote Sunday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Media outlets registered with the Central Election Commission (CEC) will have the right to observe the election in prisons. 1 576 prisoners and detainees are entitled to vote. The Prison Ministry on Saturday expressed full readiness to conduct the […]
New razor wire marks the Russian-imposed border line in Ditsi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The de facto South Ossetian government has imposed restrictions for Georgian citizens along the demarcation line. The Interior Ministry on Saturday issued a statement expressing concern about the de facto government’s decision. The Ministry recalls […]
Voters waiting in line in last year’s parliamentary election. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–60 local and 65 international organizations will observe Sunday’s presidential election. The Central Election Commission published information about the observers on Saturday, after finishing the process of registration of organizations and media. […]
Sozar Subari. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Special guards are protecting election posters of one of the presidential candidates in a prison, to prevent prisoners from tearing them down. Under Georgian law, every person who is detained but has not yet received a verdict, and those who have […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili Friday delivered his address to voters two days before the presidential elections, saying that in the last twenty years, this is the first time people have a chance to change their president through election. The […]
Outside the president’s residence in Avlabari, Tbilisi. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A movement called Patriots held a small rally on Friday to say goodbye to President Mikheil Saakashvili and thank him for his nine years of service. A few tens of people came carrying posters and flags outside Saakashvili’s official residence in […]
TBILIISI, DFWatch–Unknown people Friday night attempted to break into two election precincts in Nadzaladevi, a district in Tbilisi. Police detained them before they managed to break in. The precincts were not damaged. The reason for the break-in attempt is not yet […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Georgia Friday detained the former chairman of the Constitutional Security Department (known as Kudi) of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, who is accused with organizing election fraud. Temur Pataridze is charged […]
Minister for Euro-Integration Alexi Petriashvili (center) and head of Open Society Georgia Keti Khutsishvili (right). (OSGF.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Open Society Foundations in Georgia and Armenia say in a new report that there is “some progress” in several areas of Georgia’s efforts to fulfill its European aspirations and existing challenges during. The report, which was presented a few days ago, […]
Outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili on a previous trip to Turkey. (Photo published by the president’s administration.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Saakashvili has granted Georgian citizenship to more than a thousand Turks. According to the State Service Development Agency, Saakashvili granted citizenship to Turks under special rules, which means that they will receive citizenship […]
Outgoing Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says he will name his successor on Tuesday or Wednesday next week. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the economy minister and one of the possible candidates, is now excluded from the list, going by what the PM said, […]
James Appathurai. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO envoy James Appathurai compliments Georgia’s defense minister in a Facebook update after meeting him on Thursday. Defense Minister Irakli Alasania participated in NATO’s ISAF meeting on Thursday at NATO headquarters. After the meeting, he met […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover fell by a negligible 0.1 percent in the first nine months of 2013, compared to last year, to USD 7 585 million. USD 2 019 out of this was export, which is 14 percent more than last year, while the import was USD 5 […]
Alexandra Hall Hall, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Georgia. (Embassy photo.) DF Watch sat down for talk with the recently appointed Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Georgia, Alexandra Hall Hall. DF Watch: The political situation in Georgia is interesting now, especially since we have presidential elections coming. What are your expectations? […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–According to a new survey conducted by the American company Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner Research, 43 percent would vote for the Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Marvelashvili, while 23 percent would vote for the National Movement party’s Davit […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili, Georgian Dream candidate for president. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–According to a survey conducted by Research and Consult Center Psiqo Proeqti, 57.6 percent support the Georgian Dream coalition candidate for president, Giorgi Margvelashvili, while 11.8 percent support Davit Bakradze, the National Movement candidate. […]
მეჩეთი ხულოში. (DF Watch.) ბათუმის ცენტრში ორთაჯამეს მეჩეთი დგას, რომელიც 1960-იან წლებში აშენდა. მუსლიმები ყოველ პარასკევს იკრიბებიან ორთაჯამეში სალოცავად, მაგრამ პრობლემა ის არის, რომ მეჩეთი მლოცველებს ვერ იტევს და ბევრი მათგანი იძულებულია, გარეთ ილოცოს. აჭარელმა მუსლიმებმა არაერთხელ მიმართეს ადგილობრივ მმართველობას, რომ მიეღოთ ნებართვა ახალი მეჩეთის მშენებლობისთვის, რომელსაც თვითონ დააფინანსებდნენ, მაგრამ ნებართვა არ მიუღიათ. ეს [...]
The Mosque in Khulo, Adjara. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In the center of Batumi stands the large Ortajame Mosque. It was built in the 1860s, and Muslims gather here for Friday prayers. The problem is, there isn’t enough room for everybody inside, so many people are having to conduct their prayers outside. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will arrive in Georgia October 25 for a three day visit to observe the presidential election. Until Election Day, October 27, the 26 delegation members will meet with the […]
Minister of Health, Davit Sergeenko. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Health Ministry will start a new program to reduces the price of treatment for hepatitis C . Health Minister Davit Sergeenko said at a press conference Wednesday that treatment for hepatitis C will be free for prisoners and become cheaper for […]
I am writing this letter in response to the letter published in Kviris Palitra and Georgian Journal under the title “Respecting Georgian Traditions”. I am a Georgian citizen, an attorney, and the producer of the show "Georgian Legend," which introduced traditional Georgian singing and dance to millions of people around the world. As all who know [...]
Radoslaw Sikorski, Foreign Minister of Poland, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, and Carl Bildt, Foreign Minister of Sweden. (Ivanishvili’s Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Wednesday met with the foreign ministers of Sweden and Poland. The meeting was closed to the media, but a joint press conference was held afterward. The PM said the guests were interested in the ongoing political […]
Labor Party leader and candidate for president Shalva Natelashvili. (Photo posted on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Labor Party leader and candidate for president Shalva Natelashvili says he will start protest rallies if he loses the upcoming election, but if he wins Georgia will ‘brighten.’ On Monday, Natelashvili presented his election program, and said that […]
President Mikheil Saakashvili has moved out of his house in northern Tbilisi. (President’s Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili on Tuesday moved out of their house in the Didi Dighomi district of Tbilisi and moved into a house in the city center. Saakashvili and his wife Sandra Roelofs personally took part in the moving. The First Lady said most […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A newly appointed commission will next week start studying a special operation which claimed 14 lives on the Georgia-Russia border in August 2012. The incident took place in the last few months of Saakashvili’s government. After the change of government […]
Gérard Depardieu stayed at the restaurant Puris Sakhli in Tbilisi for about one hour. (Photo posted on Facebook by the restaurant.) TBILISI, DFWatch–French actor Gérard Depardieu, who recently became a Russian citizen, was spotted at a restaurant in Tbilisi yesterday. Depardieu arrived Monday morning at Tbilisi airport, and it was first reported that he stayed in the transit area […]
(Refugee Ministry.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Refugee Ministry says there has been discovered a sixth depot where equipment, home appliances and various supplies for refugees has been kept since 2008. The humanitarian goods were this time discovered in Bolnisi. The goods should have been […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says he will name his preferred candidate for Tbilisi Mayor before he leaves his post. In an interview with Imedi TV, the PM explained that before leaving office, he may agree with the party council about who that […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The number of people charged with or convicted of a crime has been reduced by 59.3 percent in the third quarter of 2013, compared to the same period last year, according to the Prison Ministry. The number of people charged or placed in jail […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Government bodies in Georgia have purchased 2 146 cars from January 2011 to July 2013, a new a report by Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association shows. Six out of ten of the most expensive cars were purchased by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) […]
Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The pardon commission has sent the president a list of more than 150 prisoners who they recommend be pardoned. Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili told journalists after a commission session on Sunday that 120 of the prisoners will be released […]
(Ministry of Defense.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian soldiers serving in the NATO-led ISAF mission have voted at two precincts in Afghanistan. Usually, elections are held in Afghanistan a few days before Election Day, which this year is October 27 for Georgia and for all the other voting […]
Batumi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A storm on the Black Sea coast damaged the boulevard in the Georgian resort city Batumi Sunday and caused 400 meters of a running path to collapse. According to Batumi Mayor Jemal Ananindze, it could cost several million lari to repair the damaged […]
People rallied in Telavi (pictured) and 24 other places against Russia’s policy toward Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Rallies against the ‘creeping occupation’ and the Sochi Winter Olympics continue in Georgia. Saturday, there were protests in 25 different cities and towns all over the country. Despite the rain, youth protested in Batumi, a city on the Black Sea […]
Eka Azarashvili, spokesperson for the Central Election Commission. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Central Election Commission (CEC) annonced Saturday that there are 3 537 719 registered voters ahead of the October 27 presidential election in Georgia. Ekaterine Azarashvili, press spokesperson for CEC, said at a press conference that the number […]
National Movement candidate for president, Davit Bakradze. (Channel 1.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Public Broadcaster October 17 and 18 hosted two TV debates between presidential candidates. Only qualified subjects participated in the debates, those who were presented by the political parties, which receive state funding. There are […]
Nino Evgenidze is Executive Director of the Economic Policy Research Center. “The Eurasian Customs Union in the framework of Eurasian Economic Development” – the name of this union mainly has an economic connotation to it. However, everyone agrees that its main goal is political. Spheres of competence of the union prove this argument: […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in January to September fell by 0.1 percent, compared to the same period last year. The total amount of turnover in the first ten months this year was USD 7 585 million. USD 2 019 million out of this was export, which […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia plans to introduce a system for retirement savings that will include every citizen in the country. Giorgi Tabuashvili, Deputy Finance Minister, on Thursday met with the parliamentary opposition to discuss the 2014 budget, […]
From a demonstration two years ago. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–There are new details in the investigation into the death of former Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania in 2005, which may change the official version of how he died. Brother of the deceased PM, Giorgi Zhvania, says that important new evidence has come […]
Giorgi Targamadze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The leader of Christian Democrats plans to sue against Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili for defamation and will demand one billion lari (USD 600 million) in compensation. Ivanishvili Thursday met with newspapers editors to talk about the upcoming […]
Ilia Roubanis. In the recent International Parliamentary Conference that took place under the aegis of the Parliament of Georgia and the United Nations Development programme in Tbilisi on October 7, 2013, the focus was on the Vilnius Summit. Suitably, the Georgian delegates, […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili appeared full of confidence while meeting newspaper editors Thursday, vowing that his coalition, Georgian Dream, is going to win the presidential election. Ivanishvili said he is sure that there won’t be a need […]
Voters in line in last year’s parliamentary election. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Central Election Commission has lifted restrictions on the use of photo and video cameras at election precincts. In a statement, CEC writes that it has revoked a resolution by the commission which prohibited the filming or photographing of voting […]
Giga Bokeria. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Giga Bokeria, Secretary of the Security Council, says he will leave the post if Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili wins the presidential election. Margvelashvili on Wednesday told journalists that in case of a Georgian Dream victory […]
President Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The constitutional amendments which reduce the power of the prime minister have come into force, after the president signed a bill which was passed by parliament on October 4. The amendment is published on the website of the legal gazette, matsne […]
Davit Narmania. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure says that investments in the amount of 20 million lari (USD 12 million) will be necessary to solve the problems locals are having who living in villages bordering with the Russian […]
Davit Kezerashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili, who was detained recently in France, has been placed in 40-day detention until his extradition request has been processed. According to French press, Kezerashvili was planning to travel to Albania from Nice […]
James Appathurai. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Alexi Petriashvili, Minister for Euro and Euro-Atlantic integration, yesterday met with NATO envoy James Appathurai, who recounted the meeting on his official Facebook page. “He made a clear, realistic and convincing case for why, if/when the upcoming […]
Nino Lomjaria, head of ISFED. TBILISI, DFWatch–The fifth interim report of International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), covering the period from September 8 to October 6, identified 5 cases of political intimidation, 3 cases of obstructing the election campaign and other […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Dream party in September received more than half a million lari in donations (about USD 350 000). In October, the amount of donations was only 1500 lari (about USD 900). Meanwhile, the party of Nino Burjanadze, the Democratic Movement, […]
Michael Fuenfzig is Assistant Professor at Tbilisi State University’s School of Economics. A few weeks ago, speaking at a press conference, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili floated the idea of Georgia joining the Eurasian Union. Although he later backtracked on his statements, the cat was out of the bag. Predictably, the United National Movement slammed […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg next year will announce its ruling in a case Georgia has lodged against Russia concerning the deportation of Georgian citizens from Russia seven years ago. This was conveyed in a message from the […]
Davit Kezerashvili was defense minister during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A former Georgian defense minister has been detained in France. According to the Interior Ministry, Davit Kezerashvili, who served in President Saakashvili’s government, was detained on Monday in France in a joint operation between Interpol’s Paris […]
Sozar Subari. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prison Minister Sozar Subari Monday arrived in Senaki, in western Georgia, to visit a family whose son is said to have committed suicide in prison. It was the demand of the father of Goga Dzvelaia that he wouldn’t bury his son until Subari […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian PM Bidzina Ivanishvili promises to name his successor in the first week of November, after the presidential election. In an interview with Channel 1 on Monday, he said that people will know who the candidate for new prime minister is in […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishivli says that ‘if it becomes necessary’, Georgia will refuse to take part in the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, but that more time is needed to make a decision. The PM said this during an interview on Channel 1’s […]
President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili says he will grant Georgian citizenship to 3 000 more Georgians living in Turkey. Saakashvili was visiting the town Sakaria and the village Nusetie on Monday to meet with ethnic Georgians. He recalled that a few weeks […]
Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The National Movement party has left the inter-agency commission, which controls election processes in the country, as a sign of protest. UNM members claim the commission chairman, Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani, said at a closed session meeting […]
Zurab Adeishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–It is unknown in Georgia whether former Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili is in Hungary and whether he was appointed as advisor to the Hungarian president. What is known is that Giorgi Sabanadze, the former chairman of Tbilisi Development Fund, […]
Sabina from Sweden performing in Tbilisi Sunday. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A number of protest rallies and events were held in Georgia last weekend to protest against Russian occupation and Georgia’s participation in the Sochi Winter Olympics. On Saturday, there was a rally outside the government offices in Tbilisi, where […]
A Tkibuli mine. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A 33-year-old has worker after a shaft ceiling collapsed following a micro blast in the coal mine in Tkibuli, a town in western Georgia. According to Valeri Kukhalashvili, Director General of Sakhnakhshiri GIG Ltd, which owns the coal mines […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–One police special unit employee died during an operation to apprehend a man suspected of burglary. The suspect also died in the shooting. According to the Interior Ministry, employees of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional police department […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Three former political prisoners were detained in Batumi on Saturday during a campaign rally for Davit Bakradze, the presidential candidate for the National Movement party. Jimsher Kurtskhalidze, Jemal Buadze and Merab Gorgadze were taken away from […]
Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili asks the new government, which took power a year ago, to continue large projects started under him. Saakashvili, speaking after an awards ceremony for a TV show on Friday, said a new prognosis by the […]
Nodar Khaduri, Finance Minister of Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government of Georgia disagrees with a prognosis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicating that Georgia’s economic growth will experience a further slowdown. Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri said Friday that the government has been […]
Giorgi Sabanadze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Italy has released the former chairman of Tbilisi Development Fund, which means he won’t be extradited to Georgia. Lawyers of Giorgi Sabanadze informed journalists that the reason he won’t be extradited is that he has received […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Interior Minister informs that very soon Interpol will issue a red alert for the search for the man suspected of uploading two videos to Youtube threatening jihad against Georgia. The ministry is preparing the necessary documentation to send […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Hall plans to purchase apples from villages close to the Russian-controlled territories. The plan is the initiative of the Mayor of Tbilisi, and the goal is to help people living in the conflict zone who otherwise would be left without an income […]
Davit Zalkaniani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–There will not be opened election precincts in the Russian Federation for Georgia’s presidential election on October 27. Davit Zalkaliani, First Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, told journalists that there are a number of difficulties involved when […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Russia will allow export of Georgian fruit and vegetables to its market. Shalva Pipia, Minister of Agriculture, said Thursday that a document has been signed by the parties which lifts all restrictions on Georgian export of nuts, grapes, apple, pea, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–More than 100 farmers demand to be paid for grapes they delivered to the wine maker Shildi. Two days ago, the farmers rallied outside the plant demanding their payment immediately. They told journalists that many of them should be paid thousands […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its prognosis for Georgia’s economic growth this year from 6 to 2.5 percent. In the beginning of 2013, IMF assumed Georgia would have 6 percent growth, but then reduced the prognosis to 4 percent […]
Batu Kutelia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The deputy secretary of Georgia’s National Security Council, a former ambassador of Georgia to the United States, has resigned. Batu Kutelia did not comment about his resignation, but Tamar Kintsurashvili, the second deputy secretary of the Security […]
The barbed wire bundles in Dvani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The length of barbed wire and fences along the delineation line with the breakaway region South Ossetia is now 35 kilometers. Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze says 65 Georgian families have been affected as result of the installation of barbed wire […]
Paata Zakareishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A petition calling for Georgia to boycott the Sochi Winter Olympics has gathered over 8000 signatures. The petition was started by local non-governmental organizations. ISFED and Transparency International Georgia do not exclude that there will […]
