TBILISI, DFWatch–After Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili returned to public politics in late December, everyone in Georgia expected major upheavals in the government, although only a small number of commentators predicted dismissal of the prime minister. However, this became clear on Sunday, when the pro-government TV company Imedi reported that the chairman of Georgian Dream … Read more
Three opposition political parties in Georgia – Strategy Agmashenebeli, Girchi – More Freedom and Droa – establish “a pro-European coalition”, the goal of which is to oust Georgian Dream and solicit getting the EU candidate status by the country. “There is no other way, and our western partners are waiting for it, but first of … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili has criticized the ruling Georgian Dream party for unilaterally abandoning the EU-mediated agreement. She also reiterated the importance of the country’s European development. This is the first time the president has criticized the political movement that brought her to the presidency. Salome Zourabichvili was able to win the 2018 … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Union on Sunday made another attempt at breaking the political deadlock in Georgia, offering a compromise that envisions the release of perceived political prisoners as well as early parliamentary elections. The EU earlier suggested Georgia’s factions agree to the release of UNM leader Nika Melia and Giorgi Rurua, founder of an opposition … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–EU-mediated negotiations to end the political crisis in Georgia have once more ended in failure. The compromise proposed by EU envoy Christian Danielsson was rejected Tuesday evening by both the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) and the group of opposition parties led by United National Movement (UNM). Currently, the fate of the negotiations is unclear. … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s prime minister on Tuesday rejected the two main demands put forth by the opposition, thus prolonging the country’s four and a half months long political crisis. “The next parliamentary elections will be held in 2024,” Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at a meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council in Brussels. Based on what … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The leader of Georgia’s main opposition party faces imprisonment after participating in a protest in 2019. The prosecutor’s office asked parliament on Friday to strip Nika Melia of his immunity as a member of parliament. If parliament agrees – and that is a very likely scenario – then Melia will be remanded in custody … Read more
One of the opposition parties in Georgia announced Friday that they are calling off their boycott of parliament, breaking ranks with the rest of the opposition, which have held that the October 31 election was fraught with violations and should be annulled. Chairman of the Citizens’ Party and urban preservationist Alexander (Aleko) Elisashvili said Friday … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian opposition’s boycott of parliament after the October 31 election is in doubt, after one of the parties indicated they will break off the boycott. Aleko Elisashvili, leader of the Citizens party, said Wednesday that he will announce the party’s decision to take up their two seats in parliament in a few days. … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s ruling party on Saturday elected former party secretary Irakli Kobakhidze as new chairman, after its billionaire founder stepped down. The choice of a new leader and new composition of the political council at the party convention are important developments for the party that came to power in 2012 and secured election in 2016 … Read more