TBILISI, August 24 – Eight Georgian opposition parties met Saturday to discuss a common vision on national security, with Russia’s presence on the country’s northern border looming large in the debate. The meeting was the initiative of the small pro-EU Federalists party, and dealt with what kind of defense strategy Georgia needs in light of … Read more
TBILISI, August 22 – Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s fifth president, has re-emerged in public life after a summer pause, appearing at an opposition rally in Tbilisi Friday. The former president hinted she might resume her political activity, but gave no further details. Zourabichvili has tried twice to rally Georgia’s fragmented opposition with joint action plans, first … Read more
TBILISI, August 20 – Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze says he is ready to challenge what he calls “biased” criticism from European officials, insisting that Georgia has achieved progress that surpasses even some EU and NATO member states. Some EU leaders have suggested sanctions against Georgia, such as withholding visa-free travel rights, if the government fails … Read more
TBILISI, August 17 – Campaigning in the western town of Kharagauli, Lelo spokesman Grigol Gegelia slammed Georgian Dream’s local officials for wasting public money on what he called “fake jobs.” He pointed to a local cleaning program where more than USD 900,000 went to salaries last year, claiming many of the positions were artificially created … Read more
TBILISI, August 15 – Two of Georgia’s opposition forces – Lelo for Strong Georgia and For Georgia, the party of former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia – have yet to agree on a joint candidate for Tbilisi’s October 4 mayoral election. A recent meeting between Gakharia and Lelo’s secretary general Irakli Kupradze in Berlin has fueled … Read more
TBILISI, August 13 – In Georgia, the opposition United National Movement (UNM), currently boycotting parliament, is openly discussing a “peaceful revolution” to change power on October 4. Party leader Levan Khabeishvili even launched a Facebook poll asking supporters if they would attend a planned rally. Around 4,700 people responded, with 92% saying yes. UNM chair … Read more
TBILISI, August 12 – Georgia’s upcoming local elections, scheduled for October 4, are shaping up to be a contest between the ruling Georgian Dream party and a fragmented opposition. Seventeen parties are registered to compete, though analysts are divided on whether the vote will be truly competitive, according to Rezonansi. Supporters of the government point … Read more
TBILISI, August 1 – Opposition forces in Georgia are weighing whether to nominate Aleko Elisashvili for mayor — a former urban heritage activist who has pledged to eliminate the capital’s notorious traffic congestion “within a year.” Elisashvili, a long-time critic of the government and advocate for better urban planning, says he would accept the nomination … Read more
TBILISI, July 31 – Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has officially nominated incumbent mayor Kakha Kaladze for a third term in the upcoming municipal elections. The announcement was made during a high-profile campaign launch event in Mtatsminda Park in the capital attended by senior party leaders including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Georgian Dream (GD) … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – In a speech in Geneva, Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed excessive foreign interference has harmed the development of Georgia’s democracy, calling instead for international actors to respect national sovereignty. In a speech at the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, the speaker claimed that some foreign-funded NGOs in … Read more