TBILISI, DFWatch–After years of denying his intention to go into politics, the conservative millionaire Levan Vasadze finally announced on Thursday that he is launching a public movement. “I’ve made a very difficult decision in my personal life to say goodbye to my favorite status as a private person, and wade into and participate in the … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A foreign tourist has died in a climbing accident in the Svaneti highlands, according to the Emergency Management Agency of Georgia. Officials did not name the deceased but indicated it was a citizen of Switzerland. Local media reported that the death was caused by a fall into a ravine from a great height. A … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling Georgian Dream party has unilaterally signed an EU-mediated compromise agreement intended to overcome the political crisis in Georgia, which addresses one of the two main demands of the opposition. “Today, the Georgian Dream publicly signs a document created under the auspices of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, presented by … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Four people were found dead on the banks of the Enguri River on Wednesday. The four are believed to have drowned as they tried to cross from Abkhazia to Georgian-controlled territory bypassing Russian border guards and Abkhaz customs officers. Rescue workers found the bodies of three people Wednesday morning, and a fourth body in … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A recently retired prime minister is one of Georgia’s most popular politicians, according to a new survey published by the International Republican Institute (IRI) on Monday. Giorgi Gakharia, who resigned in February citing disagreement with his party colleagues over the detention of UNM leader Nika Melia, is liked by 65% of respondents, far more … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s vaccination effort has run into a roadblock, as many people are skeptical of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is believed to have caused the death of a 27-year-old nurse a week ago. The attitude toward the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech is more positive, although the available supplies of it are limited. A … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is not halting its use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine after a 27-year-old female nurse suffered anaphylactic shock and went into a coma on Thursday after receiving the jab. “We recently heard a report about AstraZeneca from a strict European regulator. It is recognized as a safe vaccine that has far more benefits than … Read more
GALI, DFWatch–Gali residents demand the opening of the checkpoint on Enguri Bridge and the lifting of the five-day quarantine for travelers that have been tested for Covid-19. Locals told DFWatch that because of the quarantine requirement, many people have resorted to a dangerous route, wading through the surging Enguri river at the so-called black crossing, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Audio recordings aired by an opposition TV channel in Georgia have caused outrage and demands for the prime minister’s resignation. The recordings, aired Saturday on TV Pirveli, appear to show Georgia’s current PM Irakli Garibashvili and ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili’s rapper son Bera discussing with Anzor Chubinidze, head of the Special State Protection … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s opposition have decided to scale back their protest rallies, citing a wish to not give the ruling Georgian Dream party an excuse to stall the talks initiated by the President of the European Council. The decision was made at a meeting on Wednesday between opposition parties that are boycotting parliament. Along with them, … Read more