Georgia will hold parliamentary elections in 2024. That is unfortunately aligned with the electoral cycle of US Presidential elections and campaigning in the EU-27 as we near the European Parliamentary elections. The Republican primaries’ debate in the US offers the first indication of a resurging neo-isolationism. As for Europe, polling suggests the far-right forces are … Read more
Democracy is about transparency, and it is essential every now and then to call a spade a spade and say in public what is being discussed in private. That is especially the case when national interests are at stake. When three Georgian Dream MPs (Honourable Khundadze, Subari, Kavelashvili), turned recently and instantly into independent legislators, … Read more
We were seated at the conference table in the office of Mikhail Saakashvili (aka “Misha”), the former President of Georgia, to discuss tensions with Russia. It was June 2008, just prior to the outbreak of war with separatist forces in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. I noticed photos with Senator John McCain, stacked on the floor … Read more
Ukraine, which is looking for ways toward peace, is ready to give up the NATO perspective. We have been hearing about NATO’s open door for years, but now we’ve also learned that we can not enter there and we have to admit it, says Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president, who has become an idol for … Read more
On the 18th day since the start of the Russian aggression, more and more people, as well as politicians and experts, say that Ukraine will win the war. Russia has failed to crush either the Ukrainian army or its people. The more atrocities it inflicts, the stronger the resistance of the Ukrainians. It has already … Read more
For the first time in Georgia’s recent history, its PM used the shocking term „anti-Christian forces“ in his public discourse. Today, such an “eschatological” motif may look a little unusual, to say the least. PM Gharibashvili touched on the sensitive strings of the identity of the majority of ethnic Georgians, further dividing the already polarized … Read more
Editor’s Opinion The first time since Georgia linked itself to Europe and raised the EU flag in front of parliament, it was demonstratively torn down by brutal forces. March of Dignity on July 5 was conceived as the culmination of Tbilisi Pride, when the LGBTQ people and human rights supporters were supposed to enter the … Read more
Donald Rumsfeld was an anchor and a rudder. In the service of four Republican Presidents – Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and George W. Bush – Donald Rumsfeld was seen as a controversial figure to certain Americans because of his unapologetic, unyielding, and committed dedication to what each of these administrations defined as the America’s strategic … Read more
EDITORIAL When parliament nominated hardliner candidate Irakli Gharibashvili as prime minister, he dedicated his speech not to defeating the pandemic, not to the economy, occupation or social problems, but to fighting political opposition. After Melia’s arrest, the newly appointed PM thanked the police for their “successful operation”. Similar statements were made by senior state officials. … Read more
In November of 2019, Ambassador Tedo Japaridze visited Japan invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Japanese Embassy in Georgia. Here’s an opinion piece of Mr. Japaridze published by the “Japan Up Close” site. It’s a platform in English that allows professionals in their fields both in and out of Japan … Read more