TBILISI, DFWatch–The situation along the de facto border of South Ossetia further worsened on Thursday after representative of breakaway authorities put forward an ultimatum to Georgia to dismantle a checkpoint at the village Chorchana, in Khashuri municipality. If Georgia doesn’t dismantle the checkpoint by 6 am Friday morning, Tskhinvali authorities will “resort to all lawful … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The situation along the de facto border of South Ossetia remains tense as Tskhinvali sent armed forces to prevent the construction of a police checkpoint by the Georgian side. The checkpoint is being built in the vicinity of Georgian village Chorchana. “In connection with the provocative attempts of the Georgian security forces to illegally … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Two politicians from the German far-right AfD were among the foreign observers who were present during Sunday’s election for de facto president of Abkhazia. The election was not recognized by Georgia. Among the dozens of international observers to the elections were Stefan Keuter, member of the German Bundestag representing the far-right AfD, Gunnar Norbert … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian breakaway region Abkhazia is holding elections for de facto president on Sunday. Ten candidates are vying for the seat, but none of them stand much of a chance against the incumbent Raul Khajimba, a former KGB operative and close ally of the Kremlin. Aslan Bzhania, a former candidate proposed by a group … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–At least two families in Georgia were forced to leave their homes in a village near the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict line on Thursday. The families left after Russian troops approached them and asked them to vacate their homes within 72 hours. The village of Gugutiantkari belongs to Gori Municipality and is located 32 km … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Members and supporters of Georgia’s current and previous governments traded accusations on the 11th anniversary of the war between Russia and Georgia. Members of the incumbent government once again blamed the previous government and personally former President Mikheil Saakashvili of irresponsible actions which brought Russian troops on Georgian soil. United National Movement (UNM) and … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–One more electronic music festival in Georgia has been canceled due to threats from clergy, this time in Kobuleti on the Black Sea coast. Organizers of GR Fest wrote on Facebook that the youth festival, which is scheduled to start on August 10, will be held in a new location, after priests and local … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The lower house of Russia’s parliament will soon decide whether to recognize the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in the early 20th Century as a genocide. “The State Duma has paid due attention to the statement by the South Ossetian parliament on the recognition of the genocide of South Ossetians in 1920 by Georgia. At the next … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetia’s “ambassador” to Italy says that “the time has come” for recognizing its independence. “We believe that the time has come that Italy through its current government recognizes the republic of South Ossetia as a state equal to all states present to the UN,” “ambassador” Mauro Murgia wrote on Facebook. The statement concerns … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The conservative Georgian businessman Levan Vasadze has demanded that the government impose the strictest possible control over the media, and even jail some journalists, otherwise “nothing will save this country”. “I address Bidzina Ivanishvili and our government to set up a regulator that will punish media outlets and individual journalists for libel and defamation, … Read more