TBILISI, DFWatch – A journalist working for Georgia’s Public Broadcaster (GPB) is under threat of being dismissed for asking a question the government didn’t like at Bidzina Ivanishvili’s press conference Tuesday. The reason was that he asked a question which the broadcaster’s leadership thinks is an admission that their journalists are instructed by the government … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – The Government of Georgia has presented a ‘ten-point plan for the country’s development of modernization and employment for the years 2011-2015’, but experts think it’s no more than a ‘collection of dreams’ that is hard to take seriously without concrete steps towards its implementation. “The Georgian government’s social-economic policy aim is to … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – Experts here in Tbilisi think the government is ‘trying to find legislative methods to put pressure on Ivanishvili’, following a government initiative about strengthening financial monitoring under the pretext of combating money laundering. Amendments will be made to the law called Anti-Money Laundering Support. The initiators are ruling party parliamentarians Zviad Kukava, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch- Bidzina Ivanishvili vows to initiate impeachment procedures against Georgia’s president Mikheil Saakashvili after he has won the parliamentary election next year. The businessman made the statement Tuesday at his first and long awaited press conference. It took place in his luxurious Tbilisi business center in the front of nearly 230 Georgian reporters and … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s honorary consul in the United States says the reason he was dismissed last week was that he refused to take down photos from his Facebook page showing the popular opposition politician Bidzina Ivanishvili meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Georgia. Just four months ago, Lasha Darbaidze was the subject of praise … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – A scuffle developed outside an important Tbilisi landmark before the weekend, as officials tried to stop Georgian tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili’s renovation work on the building. The castle of King Rostom, who reigned parts of present day Georgia in the late 16th century, has been under renovation for the last few years, but … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – The election reform has been postponed for two months. It should have ended by the end of October, but is delayed until the end of December. The government explains the delay with the need to wait until the Venice Commission publishes its final conclusion. A few days ago, Venice Commission chairman Tomas … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – As his last best option for entering Georgian politics was blocked, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s allies are experiencing unprecedented trouble as two officials aligned with him in the Tbilisi city council are fired from their positions. As if it was not enough that Bidzina Ivanishvili’s citizenship was taken away, it is creating a firestorm … Read more
TBILILSI, DFWatch – Georgia has received a stern message from Western diplomats to amend its Labor Code during a conference dedicated to facilitate social dialogue held in Tbilisi on Thursday. The European Union’s mission in Georgia made its position quite clear: If Georgia doesn’t change its Labor Code, it will get neither EU Association Agreement … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch – The Venice Commission has asked the government to change the proposed new Electoral Code, after going through all the issues envisaged in the proposed new law, both things that were agreed with the opposition and the ruling party’s eleventh-hour “surprises”. Council of Europe envoys made their critical stance clear at a special … Read more