Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev. (Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev interviewed by Georgian TV five years after the war: ‘Georgia should be interested in joining the Eurasian Union, because it is a neighbor of Russia.’ “We will never be neighbors with the US whatever happens. […]
Bolnisi municipality building. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Locals of Bolnisi, a town in southern Georgia, demand the resignation of the acting head of the local government, the gamgebeli, because they believe he is not fulfilling any of his duties. People in Bolnisi, in the Kvemo Kartli region, claim that […]
Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) (New comments added from Prof Jan van Dijk.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry and the National Statistics Department, GeoStat, have published different statistics of the level of crime in the country. The Statistics Department data says that the number of criminal cases has increased, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Lawyers claim that the head of the municipality’s executive body, the gamgebeli, in a town in south Georgia is forcing them to write their letter of resignation. Levan Tsabadze, member of the Georgian Dream coalition and gamgebeli of Aspindza […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Three persons have been placed in pre-trial detention for two months pending trial, after a suspicious death of a prisoner. The prisoner, Levan Kortava, died May 23 at the prison hospital after being moved there from Geguti prison, a village […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Three prisoners are on a hunger strike at Ksani prison. The Prison Ministry said Monday that August 1 one of its prisoners, a man called Kakha, had sewed his eyelids shut as a sign of protest, as he perceives himself as innocent and demands to […]
(Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A river burst its banks in Georgia’s western Guria region Monday and flooded about fifteen houses in the town Ozurgeti. According to local media, the water carried a car with two people inside into the river Shuti. One of them was a pregnant woman. […]
Murman Margvelashvili is Director of Energy Studies at World Experience for Georgia. Georgia is an energy dependent country – with 65% of energy demand being covered from external sources. Despite the richness in hydropower resources Georgia still has a negative balance even in electricity import-export. Energy dependence has a negative impact […]
Gia Shaoshvili is the first to carry out a threat by peach farmers to cut down their plantations if the government doesn’t help them. (ick.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A peach farmer in Georgia has cut down his plantation because the government hasn’t helped him and his colleagues deal with a slump in the market price. When Gia Shaoshvili , a resident of the village Chumlaki in the eastern Kakheti region, carried […]
Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The parliament in Georgia is starting to review a set of amendments to the constitution that aim to balance powers between the prime minister and the parliament, after a draft has been through a process of public discussion. The hearing process […]
Demonstrators want to preserve the area as a recreational zone. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A rally was held on Sunday to protest the planned construction of a new restaurant at Turtle Lake in Tbilisi. Demonstrators say it will destroy a recreation zone. The demonstrations started in late July, when there was first put up a sign […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s economy and finance ministries claim that data recently published by the National Statistics Department, GeoStat, showing negative economic growth is not final and will be adjusted twice. On Wednesday, GeoStat published a report about […]
Turtle Lake near Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–More than 1500 Georgians have signed a petition demanding a stop in the cutting of trees in a recreation zone in the hills above the capital. The land plot was illegally sold by Tbilisi City Hall to a politician so he could build a restaurant to be used […]
May 17, 2013, thousands of activists disrupted a peaceful protest against homophobia in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court on Thursday ruled that there is not enough evidence to prove the guilt of priest Tamaz Bichinashvili in the incidents of May 17, when clerics and their supporters dispersed a peaceful LGBT rally in Tbilisi. When a few tens […]
The statue of Stalin has been stored outdoors in a yard since its dismantling in 2010. (Radio Tavisupleba.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The monument of Stalin, which was removed from the pedestal in the central square in his hometown Gori in 2010, will be restored in the Stalin Museum in the same town. Georgian government officials deny any notion of rehabilitation of Stalin’s […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia has presented figures for how political parties are to receive state funding in this year’s election campaign. 2 100 000 lari (USD 1 300 000) will be allocated for the seven parties that are represented in parliament; 1 050 […]
Davit Bakradze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Davit Bakradze, the National Movement’s presidential candidate, asks Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili for a meeting to discuss how to get the country’s economy out of the crisis. The PM has not yet responded. On Wednesday, the National Statistics […]
Koba Davitashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Koba Davitashvili, leader of the People’s Party, one of the Georgian Dream coalition partners, on Friday said he is leaving the coalition to run for president. Davitashvili said the reason for his leaving is a systematic disagreement with Prime Minister […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The new government in Georgia is coming under fire for its economic policy. Figures from the National Statistics Department, GeoStat, show that GDP in June was negative -0.8 percent compared to same period last year. President Saakashvili’s party […]
Tbilisi, DFWatch – Russian soldiers have detained one more Georgian citizen in a village close to the breakaway region South Ossetia. Locals say Mikheil Khurievi, 63, was in the village Tsitelubani on Georgian-controlled territory when Russian soldiers approached him. […]
Lasha Tugshushi, commission member says the part of archive will be destroyed by August 15 (IPN) TBilisi, DFWatch – Authorities in Georgia have set a time frame of two weeks for destroying part of an archive containing illegally obtained surveillance footage during the previous government. Lasha Tughushi, who is member of a commission to monitor […]
Tbilisi, DFWatch – Emergency workers in Georgia have saved four Polish climbers who have been trapped for three days atop one of the highest mountains in the Caucasus. The four became trapped on top of the mountain Shkara after one of them fell down when […]
Close Saakashvili ally Bacho Akhalaia was partly acquitted, but some charges remain. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In a controversial decision on Thursday, Tbilisi city court acquitted former defense and interior minister Bachana (“Bacho”) Akhalaia, of one of the charges against him. The acquittal relates to a charge of abuse of military personnel and illegal […]
First floors and basements of houses in Senaki were flooded after heavy rain on Monday (DF Watch photo) TBILISI, DFWatch–In almost every house in Senaki’s main streets, people are using spades to get rid of mud and water after heavy flooding on Monday. Senaki is a small town in Samegrelo, in the western part of Georgia, with more than 25 000 residents. Elderly people […]
Tengiz Gunava. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili has pardoned the former governor of Samegrelo region, who was sentenced to four years in jail. Ex-Governor Tengiz Gunava left prison Tuesday night and was greeted by members of Saakashvili’s party, the National […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Justice Minister Zurab Adeisvhili personally ordered the Chairman of Tbilisi Development Foundation to order debit cards, which made it possible to withdraw millions from the state coffers. The scheme was meant to be used to finance the National […]
Protester outside the National Movement’s primary in Tbilisi, July 28, 2013. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Dream party has expelled one of its members and warned two of them in relation with the scuffle on July 20 in Zugdidi during the National Movement’s primary election. Georgian Dream Democratic Georgia on Monday issued a statement […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Iran’s consul in Georgia Ahmad-Reza Arzjani says the suspect in murder of a 16-year-old girl in Batumi Juy 22 has been in Turkey for the last two years. Mariam Kochalidze, 16, was murdered near the beach in Batumi, a Black Sea holiday resort and one […]
A civilian being rescued in the streets of Senaki, a town in western Georgia. (TV9.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Part of Senaki in western Georgia has been evacuated because of flooding. Local reporters say more than 70 families have left the town. Hundreds of houses are underwater. The markets, theatre and other facilities are also hit, and car traffic has been rendered impossible. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has exported more than 1.7 million bottles of wine to Russia after the lifting of an embargo from 2006, says Minister of Agriculture Shalva Pipia. Russia is now among the top five export markets for Georgia for wine, Pipia said Monday. […]
Tbilisi, DFWatch – The Georgian Dream coalition’s president candidate, Giorgi Margvelashvili, accepts the offer from his competitor Davit Bakradze from the National Movement, who invited him to a series of election debates. Margvelashvili told journalists on Monday that […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–According to a new study by Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the changes in the judiciary system after the October 1, 2012, parliamentary election have been positive. IDFI writes that 140 million lari (USD 85 million) […]
The protesters demanded that the Saakashvili regime be brought to justice. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court on Sunday released three persons who were detained on Saturday during a scuffle outside the National Movement’s party conference and gave them a 100 lari (USD 60) fine. Davit Chantladze, Irakli Chubabria and Pridon Merebashvili […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of Polish climbers are requesting help after four of them got stuck in the Caucasus mountains. One of the trapped climbers fell after a rope broke. He did not break any bones, but is having problems moving. Giorgi Dzagnide, head of the Interior […]
Tedo Japaridze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tedo Japaridze, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in parliament, once more denies the rumor that Condoleezza Rice is to become advisor for the Georgian Prime Minister. In a new statement, Japaridze sheds some light on what happened during […]
Three were detained during the protest outside the National Movement party conference in Tbilisi on Sunday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Davit Bakradze, leader of the parliamentary opposition, has been announced as the National Movement’s official candidate for the upcoming presidential election. UNM’s sixth and final primary election was held on Saturday in Tbilisi. The final […]
Patriarch of Russia Kirill I (left) and Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Patriarch Ilia II, who visited Russia for the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, met with the Russian Patriarch Kirill I and invited him to Georgia. The meeting was held in Moscow on July 23 at the Russian Patriarchate to discuss […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Batumi City Court Thursday detained the suspect in the murder of a 16-year old girl in absentia. Mohammadamin Rointan, a citizen of Iran, is suspected of having killed Mariam Kochalidze, 16, on July 23 in the boulevard of Batumi, a city […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Police detained Omar, 71, on suspicion of being behind a false bomb threat at the parliament building in Kutaisi. Thursday parliament building was evacuated to allow law enforcers to conduct a bomb search. It later turned out that the report […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A soldier has died while examining a weapon at Vaziani military firing range on Thursday. According to the Defense Ministry, Major Otelo Gulgbiani was injured and was immediately brought to the hospital, but despite doctors’ efforts he died. Major died at Ingorokva […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Another problem was added to the list of mishaps that have afflicted the new parliament in Kutaisi, as there were reports of a bomb in the building. Davit Usupashvili, Speaker of Parliament, said that a stranger informed police that there was a bomb […]
Giorgi Narmania is a lawyer. Public officials’ remuneration is regarded one of the most important aspects for the functioning of public offices both in Georgia and elsewhere in the World. Issues such as effective fight against corruption in public office, attracting qualified candidates to government jobs, […]
GD parliamentarian Tina Khidasheli (left), Condoleezza Rice and Tedo Japaridze, head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tedo Japaridze, who chairs the foreign affairs committee in parliament, denies rumors that former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be appointed as official advisor to the Georgian prime minister. A few days ago, the Russian newspaper […]
Giga Bokeria says the police reaction to the violence in western Georgia was inadequate. (IPN.) Tbilisi, DFWatch – The interagency commission for free and fair election expresses concern about incidents, which took place this Saturday and Sunday during United National Movement’s primary election conferences in Batumi and Zugdidi, Western Georgia, where people threw […]
Georgian Dream presidential candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) Tbilisi, DFWatch—The first remark about Bidzina Ivanishvili stepping down as prime minister came from the Georgian Dream coalition’s presidential candidate who says that ‘the PM plans to leave his post, but not politics.’ Giorgi Margvelashvili, Ivanishvili’s […]
The price on drugs necessary to treat hepatitis C has not been reduced in 15 years, say campaigners. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Non-governmental organizations and people affected by hepatitis C on Wednesday organized rallies outside pharmaceutical companies demanding a reduction in drug prices. According to rally participants, the price on drugs to treat hepatitis C has not […]
The suspect Mohamadamin Ruintan. (Ministry of Internal Affairs.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Interior Ministry Wednesday evening identified a 28-year old man as the suspect in the murder of 16-year old Mariam Kochalidze on July 22. The suspect is a citizen of Iran, Mohamadamin Ruintan, born in 1985. According to the statement, […]
Refugee Minister Davit Darakhvelidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Refugee Minister Davit Darakhvelidze says about 33 000 refugees might have their 28 lari (USD 16) monthly allowance cut off because they their income is above the 1 500 lari limit. 10 000 of them earn about 20 000-30 000 lari (USD 12 000 […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s on Tuesday lost 0-1 to Serbia in the European under-19 football championship in Lithuania. This is the first time Georgia has qualified and the team is now in third place in group B with one point after a 0-0 match against France. Serbia remains on top […]
Dream Town sprang up outside Batumi after Georgian Dream won the election. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–About 800 single-room barracks are constructed at the former base of the 53rd regiment in Batumi, a beach resort on the Black Sea and one of Georgia’s most popular tourist destinations. The barracks were constructed by families of eco-migrants […]
Zhuzhuna Beridze said she believes her 16-year old daughter was murdered in a robbery. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A 16-year old girl was found dead Monday evening near the new boulevard in Batumi, a beach resort and one of the main tourist destinations in Georgia. Lia Mgeladze, a friend of the victim’s family, said Mariam Kochalidze was found near […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian National Platform, a coalition of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), appeals to EU to oppose Russia’s recent border moving and installing of razor wire at the so-called administrative border. The statement says that the Russian […]
Georgia’s Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The World Bank is funding a USD 60 million program to support competitive and inclusive economic growth in Georgia. Signing the formal agreement for the Bank was its Regional Director for South Caucasus, Henri Kerali, and for Georgia, Finance […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Less than three months before the presidential election, the Georgian Dream coalition is working on improving the election legislation, and has introduced five sets of amendments. According to the draft of the amendments, voters who were taken off […]
ISFED director Nino Lomjaria said a programme for loans to farmers may resemble voter bribery, as some of the money comes from a fund linked to Prime Minister Ivanishvili. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–There has so far not been been observed any violations in the election campaign for the presidential election on October 27. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a non-governmental organization which specializes in election […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–EU and Georgia have finished talks on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) and preparations are starting for a legal review of the text. Minister of Economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili said on Monday that finishing the negotiation […]
Georgia’s U19 team took its first point in the European championship Sunday in a match against France that ended 0-0. (UEFA.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s U19 football team played 0-0 against France on Sunday, gaining its first points in the European championship in Lithuania. “I’m really dissatisfied with the first half of the match. The other half was better,” Georgian U19 coach […]
IPDs in a makeshift shelter in Zugdidi. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is preparing to re-count its internal refugees, in order to prevent election fraud in the presidential election in October. Davit Darakhvelidze, the refugee minister, said re-registration is compulsory and will start from August 1, and that […]
An eye doctor at Kharagauli hospital. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Medical personnel at the only hospital in Kharagauli haven’t received salary for the last four months, while the company which owns the management rights to the hospital is not fulfilling its obligations under the contract to rehabilitate the […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–President Saakashvili’s National Movement had a tough weekend with both party conferences interrupted by demonstrators. After being greeted by an angry hoe-wielding crowd in Zugdidi Saturday, the UNM gathered in Batumi Sunday, only to see protesters […]
Protesters want the National Movement party out of Samegrelo. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The National Movement’s fourth primary on Saturday took place against the backdrop of violent clashes with an angry hoe-wielding crowd who threw stones and bottles. For the fourth time, the UNM’s primary was won by former Speaker of Parliament […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Heavy rain caused flooding in several regions of Georgia Saturday. In Zugdidi, a region bordering the breakaway region Abkhazia, more than 20 villages are flooded, according to local reporters. Didinedzi is hardest hit, and has a water cover of more […]
Refugees from the war in Abkhazia twenty years ago are still living in a derelict hospital kitchen building. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Twelve families of refugees are living in the kitchen building of a former hospital in Zugdidi, a town that lies not far from Abkhazia, the breakaway region they fled from. For 16 years, they have been living in the derelict building, waiting to be […]
Tbilisi city hall. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Saakashvili’s National Movement party has lost its majority in Tbilisi City Council. Members of Georgian Dream coalition, and former members of the National Movement who switched sides after the parliamentary election in 2012, […]
A trailer passing the border from Georgia to Azerbaijan. (DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is strengthening its control of transit trucks. Levan Izoria, Deputy Interior Minister, told DF Watch that the ministry made this decision after the number of car accidents increased and the number of casualties in accidents has also […]
The peaches Nikoloz Gharibashvili, 62, grows in his fields is his family’s sole source of income. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The sale of peaches is so slow in Georgia that sellers haven’t been able to cover their costs this year. They ask for more processing plants to be built. Nikoloz Gharibashvili, 62, owns peach fields and his income usually comes from selling peaches. […]
The current presidential palace is controversial. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia is considering using the former US embassy in Tbilisi as presidential residence after the election on October 27. It’s unclear what would happen to the current presidential residence in Avlabari in the old part of Tbilisi. […]
(Police.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetia has released Guram Gigineishvili, a Georgian who was detained five days ago in a village bordering on Russian-controlled territory. Russian soldiers detained Guram Gigineishvili in the village Bershueti while he was working in […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili (left), Prime Minister of Georgia, and Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Lithuania. (Ivanishvili Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili on Thursday met President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė at the president’s palace. Grybauskaitė and Ivanishvili discussed bilateral relations and views on how to strengthen them. The Georgian […]
Nino Evgenidze is Executive Director of the Economic Policy Research Center. During the planning process of the state budget, a 6% real economic growth was predicted; however the civil society and political circles are questioning the feasibility of achieving 6% growth rate and performance of the planned budgetary revenues. According to the […]
Georgian Dream supporters demand the Georgian Dream gamgebeli’s resignation, because he supported a National Movement candidate for head of the town council. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–For more than three weeks, activists and supporters of the Georgian Dream coalition have been protesting in front of town hall in Ozurgeti in the western Guria region of Georgia, against the acting head of the municipality. The activists have set up […]
Patriarch Ilia II during his last visit to Russia earlier this year. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Patriarch will visit Russia for the 1025th epiphany anniversary. Events for the anniversary will be held in Moscow, Kyiv and Minsk. Patriarch Ilia II will visit all three cities accompanied by a Georgian delegation July 23-30. […]
Zakaria Kutsnashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A new amendment to the election code will require top officials to resign two days after they are registered as candidates in the presidential election. The new regulations will apply to the prime minister, ministers of autonomous republics […]
Vano Merabishvili during a court appearance. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–EU’s enlargement commissioner Štefan Füle has spoken by phone to the UNM Secretary General and former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili, who is in detention waiting to face trial. According to Merabishvili’s Facebook page, the European […]
David Losaberidze is Project Coordinator at the Caucasus Institute for Peace Democracy and Development. Establishing true local self-government was one of the new Government of Georgia’s major pre-election promises. The ambitious goal of creating local self-governing units is now part of the government’s strategy. In Georgia’s two decades of independence, no other […]
Eka Beselia, head of the committee. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The human rights committee in parliament has passed a statement about the events of May 17, when radical priests and their supporters disrupted a peaceful demonstration against homophobia in Tbilisi. Before the final adoption on Tuesday, there have […]
Conditions are tough in Georgian mines. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One person has died after an explosion in a mine in Chiatura, a town in the central parts of Georgia. This is sixth person who have died while working in the manganese mines the last three years. 11 have been so severely injured that they are unable […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry in Georgia denies that there were violations or acts of brutality by the police during the questioning Mamuka Mikautadze, who a few weeks ago was reported to have killed himself the after he was questioned at the police station. […]
Earlier this year the de facto border was moved 300 m and reinforced with razor wire in Ditsi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian border guards have detained five more Georgian citizens for crossing the de facto border near the breakaway region South Ossetia. A journalist working for Interpressnews reports that three Georgians were detained in the village Akhalubani […]
Minister of Education Giorgi Margvelashvili (left), and his deputy Tamar Sanikidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Minister of Education Giorgi Margvelashvili has picked his own replacement, as he prepares for the race to be Georgia’s next president. The Georgian Dream coalition chose Margvelashvili as its candidate in the upcoming election, and although Georgian […]
Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will visit Lithuania and Poland July 18-19. Davit Zalkaliani, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, said on Monday’s briefing that Georgia sees visit to Lithuania to be important as it has recently taken […]
Paata Burchuladze. (Intrpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–As the presidential election in October is drawing nearer, Georgians are discussing candidates and who their next president might be. The Georgian Dream coalition has already decided on Education Minister Giorgi Margvelashvili as their candidate, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The court hearing for the two clerics who participated in the violent clashes on May 17 has been postponed until July 23. The hearing was to have been on Monday, and apart from the two clerics the case also concerns several other persons who are […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–45 percent of people like Giorgi Margvelashvili, the Georgian Dream coalition’s candidate for president, while 48 percent like Davit Bakradze, who most likely will be the National Movement’s candidate. When asked who they would want as president, […]
It’s the fourth year Tbilisi organizes a beer festival. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A beer festival was held this weekend on Roses Square in Tbilisi. The festival is organized by Georgian brewery Natakhtari. It has become a tradition and is held for the fourth time this year. Among the beer brands guests could taste were Czech Kozel, […]
Davit Bakradze, one of the National Movement’s four candidates for president. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Davit Bakradze, parliamentary leader of the National Movement, defended his frontrunner status Sunday with a third primary election win. 566 UNM delegates met in Telavi, a town in the eastern Kakheti region, to listen to a debate between Davit […]
Valentina Sajaia, 90, lives in Sanatorium with her grandchildren for last 20 years (DF Watch photo) TBILISI, DFWatch–Valentina Sajaia, 90, has been living in the Likani settlement for the last 20 years with about 120 other families, who were forced to leave their houses in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia. She has raised four children without her husband […]
Rusudan Kervalishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Rusudan Kervalishvili, a former lawmaker for the National Movement party, and her sister Maya Rcheulishvili, who are accused of running a ponzi scheme through a construction company they founded, have been released on USD 150 000 bail each. […]
Tengiz Gunava. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The governor of the Samegrelo Zemo Svaneti region was Friday sentenced to four years in jail. Governor Tengiz Gunava was charged in several different cases and was accused of exceeding his powers while he was head of the regional police department […]
Tamar Beruchashvili, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Saakashvili accuses the government of worsening relations with the EU and claims that the signing of an association agreement with the EU has been removed from the schedule of the Vilnius summit. Tamar Beruchashvili, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Muslims in an eastern Georgian village are still not able to live their lives normally, as Friday prayer was disrupted again in Samtatskharo. Neither local Muslims or Muslims from the other regions came to pray yesterday. Parmen Tsetskhladze, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A new survey shows that the number of Georgians who consider Russia a threat has increased by nine percentage points since March. The survey was organized by National Democratic Institute (NDI) and shows that 37 percent think Russia is a threat, […]
EU Commissioner Štefan Füle (left) and Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–EU Commissioner Štefan Füle is hopeful about Georgia’s chances of signing an association agreement with the EU at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November. Füle is visiting Georgia and today met with Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili […]
Counter-activist with poster saying “These are the sins of Sodom and Gomorra”. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A new opinion poll shows that 79 percent of Georgians do not support the anti-homophobia demonstration on May 17, 2013, which was disrupted by radical Christian clerics and their followers, resulting in almost 30 people being injured. 52 percent think […]
Sergo Ratiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prosecutors in Georgia have seized the house of a member of the parliamentary opposition on the grounds of an appeal by the businessman Joseph Kay. Sergo Ratiani, a member of the Untied National Movement, on Thursday went public with what had happened […]
Rusudan Kervalishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A former member of parliament from the National Movement and her sister are accused of fraud in connection with a construction company they own and if convicted may face up to 11 years in jail. Thursday they were summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Transparency International Georgia (TIG) criticizes the process to privatize state property for not being sufficiently transparent, saying this may allow for corrupt deals. According to TIG, information from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable […]
Defense Minister Irakli Alasania. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Defense Minister Irakli Alasania says Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan have relocated to a safer place after the last attack on one of their bases, which caused the death of seven soldiers. However, the investigation into the Taliban threat video, […]
From the July 7 scuffle outside Dinamo stadium in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court has fined three participants at a rally outside Dinamo stadium on July 7. Groups of mostly young people rallied against Russian Duma members who were watching a match between the football teams Dinamo Tbilisi and Dinamo Moscow. […]
Some believe the bill will ban kissing in public places. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry demands to have fines for certain violations which are now punished only with undefined sanctions. But some people think the ministry is increasing the size of the fines and are against the initiative. The Ministry of Internal […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian soldiers have detained one more Georgian citizen and taken him to Tskhinvali, the capital of the de facto breakaway region South Ossetia. Witnesses claim that the detainee, Guram Gigineishvili, 49, was working in the cornfield in the village […]
Lincoln Mitchell, Associate at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has made Georgia more free, while President Viktor Yanukovich made Ukraine less free when he came to power in 2010. Although the West’s “golden kid” lost the election both places, and former officials have been prosecuted, what happened in the two countries is different, […]
Member of Parliament Akaki Minashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A duel of words has broken out in Tbilisi after members of the Russian Duma turned up at a football match between Dinamo Tbilisi and Dinamo Moscow. The friendship match on July 7 is the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union that the two […]
51% of Georgians think the courts are extremely or very corrupt. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has one of the lowest rates of bribery among the 107 countries included on the Global Corruption Barometer survey, but 51% think the courts are extremely or very corrupt. Georgians still perceive the judiciary, the media and parliament as […]
Štefan Füle (left), European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, and President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Photo published on Saakashvili’s Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Štefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, is in Georgia and has met with the president and members of the parliamentary opposition. After meeting with President Mikheil Saakshvili, the EU’s enlargement […]
Suliko Khozrevanidze says he left until the situation calms down a bit. (ICK.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In a village in east Georgia, a prominent Muslim has left because of the religious conflict that has been developing over the last month. Now Hajji Suliko Khozrevanidze, a leading figure in the Muslim community in Samtatskaro in the Kakheti region, […]
Almost fifty thousand people are expected at the electronica festival. TBILISI, DFWatch–Organizers of Batumi Summer Set Festival are preparing for the arrival of almost fifty thousand music lovers August 22-24. The program features electronic music and includes acts such as Faithless and Sleep Party People. The Danish duo Laid Back […]
Campaigners say they have gathered more than five thousand signatures against the clearing of trees to build a complex of apartment blocks. They demand that the area be made a recreational zone. (Palitra TV.) TBILISI, DFWatch–More than 40 healthy trees were cut at the former psychiatric clinic in Tbilisi on Monday. Youth and locals rallied outside, demanding a stop to the tree-cutting. Rally participants brought posters which read ‘Don’t cut’ and ‘Tbilisi City Hall is an enemy […]
The village Sakorintlo. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian border soldiers a few days ago detained another Georgian citizen and brought him to Tskhinvali where he was placed in preliminary detention. The detainee Zurab Salamashvili, 52, from the village Sakorintlo has been in a detention for three […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has worsened its performance on the Global Innovation Index by two points. According to the Global Innovation Report 2013, Georgia has moved down two positions, compared to last year, to 73th place among 142 countries. In the South Caucasus […]
Most of the abuse took place at Gldani prison in Tbilisi, where the whistleblower Bedukadze used to work. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili criticizes the chief prosecutor for having freed a former prison guard from criminal responsibility for torturing prisoners because he blew the whistle on the scandal. The whistleblower, Vladimer Bedukadze, was released […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The public review process of the amendments aimed at reducing the power of the prime minister that he will assume after the presidential elections scheduled for October 27 commenced this week, bringing together MPs, politicians, civil society […]
Three were detained after the incident. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Dinamo Tbilisi and Dinamo Moscow played a friendship match in Tbilisi on Sunday. It was attended by Cristiano Ronaldo and Andriy Shevchenko, and guests from the Russian Duma. The presence of the Russian parliamentarians caused youth groups to […]
Štefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Štefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, will visit Georgia July 11-12. Davit Jalaghania, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, said at a briefing Monday that the visit is planned to be held in Batumi, a city […]
Davit Bakradze, one of UNM’s four candidates for president. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Davit Bakradze, leader of the parliamentary opposition, won the United National Movement’s second primary election for the upcoming presidential election in October. This latest party conference was held in Gori, a town closer to the capital. […]
Groups protested police brutality on Sunday (DFWatch photo) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, the Interior Ministry is accused of psychological and physical pressure against a young man who committed suicide after being interrogated by police. Mamuka Mikautadze, 36, is reported to have killed himself at a water reservoir in one […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and the leader of the parliamentary minority, Davit Bakradze, have agreed to create a commission to work on changing the constitution. In return, members of United National Movement won’t be interrogated […]
Friday prayer in Samtatskaro, a village in the Kakheti region in eastern Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In the village Samtatskharo in eastern Georgia, Friday prayers went ahead without incident yesterday, but the Muslims who live in the village stayed away because of threats. Only Muslims from other areas and guests from the government attended […]
Sameba Cathedral in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian government has allocated up to GEL 200 million for the Georgian Orthodox Church over the last 11 year, according to Transparency International Georgia (TIG). The group has requested information about the funding by central and local […]
Gerard Depardieu. (IPN.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia is coming under fire at home for not doing more after Gérard Depardieu violated Georgian law by visiting the breakaway region Abkhazia. The government says it will not react, as it does not consider it a serious violation. […]
Miners and factory workers in Georgia have held many strikes protesting against the unfair conditions for workers. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–After eight months of preparations, an amended labor code has come into force after President Saakashvili signed the bill. Deputy Justice Minister Alexander Baramidze says the new labor code entirely meets European standards, which will contribute […]
Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Despite the prime minister’s prognosis and the state budget, the minister of economy and the minister of finance say it is impossible to achieve 6 percent economic growth by the end of the year. Minister of Economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili said on […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The State Audit Office claims that the United National Movement received more than USD 3 million illegally as a donation during the election campaign in 2012. The State Audit Office, which earlier was called the Chamber of Control, was granted the […]
Davit Tsereteli. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One more member of the United National Movement, the party headed by President Mikheil Saakashvili, on Thursday left the party’s faction in Tbilisi City Council. This time it was Davit Tsereteli, chair of the commission on urban planning, who […]
Eka Beselia, chair of the parliamentary committee on human rights. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The hunger strike at Rustavi women’s prison is over. Prisoners of No 5 prison facility in Rustavi, a town 20 km south of the capital, had been on hunger strike for two days demanding to get their sentences reduced. Wednesday, Eka Beselia, chair […]
Current President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili has changed the date of the upcoming presidential election from October 31 to October 27. He announced date of the election July 2, but the date caused concern among experts and non-governmental organizations, […]
Three people were taken to sea by the waves, and later rescued. (TV9.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Heavy rain has hit the town Kobuleti on the Black Sea coast for the last two days. Three people were taken to sea by a big wave, and later rescued. The storm on Wednesday lasted just three minutes. Big waves took three youngsters from the beach. […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says the government will protect minorities in the country through legal ways, but not ‘artificially.’ At a monthly press conference at Metechi Palace Hotel Wednesday, Ivanishvili also addressed the issue […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says he can be ‘useful’ for society for twenty more years. The comment came on Wednesday at a routine press conference about current events in the country. Ivanishvili was asked about a recent statement he made […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–About 80 prisoners at the women’s prison in Rustavi have gone on hunger strike demanding to get their sentences reduced. According to the administration of prison No 5 in Rustavi, 20 km away from the capital, the prisoners have no complaints against […]
Georgia’s justice minister Thea Tsulukiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has canceled visa free rules for Iranian citizens, while Georgian citizens can still visit and stay in Iran for 45 days without a visa. Georgia and Iran enforced rules for visa free travel from January 2011, until July 2 this year, when Georgia tightened […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, a discussion has begun about the date of the presidential election. Yesterday, President Mikheil Saakashvili set the date to October 31, which will be a Thursday. But groups claim a presidential election must be held in a weekend. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Iran’s Deputy Ambassador says Georgia has good conditions nowadays to attract foreign investments. The first Iran-Georgia business forum is ongoing in Tbilisi at Expo Georgia, a exhibition center. It is being attended by representatives of large […]
Former head of “Kudi”, Data Akhalaia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia Monday introduced new charges against a former head of the domestic intelligence agency Kudi that deals with one of the most controversial murder cases in the country’s history. Data Akhalaia, former chairman […]
October 31, Georgians will select a successor to current president Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president has decided to set October 31, 2013, as the date of the presidential election. A few hours before this became known, October 27 was named as Election Day, but the head of the president’s administration held a briefing to say […]
Health Minister Davit Sergeenko. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia a comprehensive healthcare program began from July 1. Socially vulnerable will get double allowances, and the number of state financed healthcare programs has been increased. It has been a priority of the Georgian Dream coalition to […]
Koki Ionatamishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement has lost its majority in Tbilisi City Council after one of its members on Monday decided to leave the UNM faction. UNM used to have 24 seats in the Council and this way remained in majority, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tuesday there will be held an Iran-Georgia business forum in Tbilisi. An Iranian trade delegation arrives in Georgia July 1 and will stay until July 5. The forum will be held at Expo Georgia, an exhibition and convention center, where there will be […]
From left to right: Zurab Japaridze, Shota Malashkhia, Davit Bakradze and Giorgi Baramidze. (UNM photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The United National Movement Sunday kicked off its election campaign for the presidential election with a debate between the candidates. The event took place in Kutaisi, Georgia’s second largest city and current seat of parliament, and will be […]
Rustavi city court. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Georgia has decided that four officials in Tbilisi City Hall were detained in violation of law, but sentenced all of them to pre-trial detention. June 27, Davit Alavidze, Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi, Davit Avaliani, Head of Tbilisi […]
4.4 million tourists visited Georgia in 2012; a 56 % increase. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The number of tourists grew by 56 percent in 2012, according to the National Tourism Administration. 4 389 256 tourists visited Georgia last year. In the period from January to May 2013, the number of tourists was 1 698 146, which is an increase of […]
Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Groups in Georgia call on the government to settle the religious conflict in a Kakheti village and ensure the safety of Muslims. The groups are backed up by the Public Defender in their call for Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili to take immediate action to avoid […]
UNM spokesman Giorgi Vashadze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement on Saturday named four candidates for the party’s primary election to select as candidate for the upcoming presidential election in October. Party spokesman Giorgi Vashadze presented the […]
Suliko Khozrevanidze. (ICK.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Locals attacked and beat the wife of the Hajji in the village Samtatskharo Friday, only weeks after the religious conflict there seemed to have been solved. Locals had earlier prevented Muslims from conducting Friday prayer for three weeks, but the […]
Nona Kurdovanidze is coordinator of the Project ‘Innovative and Durable Solutions to Displacement‘ at the Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association. I can think of a number of demonstrations over the past few years when the police arrested participants for blocking traffic and violating the public order. However, today, I would like to draw your attention to the latest incident of May 1, 2013 in which the question […]
UNM spokesperson Giorgi Vashadze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The United National Movement has announced that its election campaign will be launched on June 30. UNM member Giorgi Vashadze said on Friday that the party will name all its candidates, who will then participate in a primary election to select […]
Levan Bezhashvili from the UNM. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement has again suspended work in parliament, due to the recent detentions of the Tbilisi City Hall and Council officials. Levan Bezhashvili, member of the UNM, on Friday said that their decision […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the Georgian government to conduct a ‘prompt investigation’ of the violence on May 17 2013. 30 persons were injured that day, as radical clerics and their supporters prevented LGBT […]
James Appathurai. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO envoy James Appathurai says he is ‘a bit concerned by the level of mistrust’ between Georgia’s government and opposition. Appathurai, whose full title is NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, […]
This is unprecedented political pressure over Tbilisi City Hall and Council members, which is criminal,” Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava said. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The investigative service of the Finance Ministry on Thursday morning detained 22 employees of Tbilisi City Hall and Tbilisi City Council. They were released in the evening, and then four of them were again detained. After the first detentions, […]
The rain flooded streets and first floors in Tbilisi. (DF Watch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Heavy rain hit the Georgian capital Thursday evening with hail in some of districts. Rain flooded the first floors of houses and underground pedestrian tunnels. In some districts of Tbilisi there was a short hailstorm. Interpressnews reports that […]
Families who have lost a member in the military will get compensation. Photo shows the body of Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze being brought home from Afghanistan earlier this year. (Ministry of Defense.) TBILISI, DFWatch–About 24 000 families who lost a member while doing military service will get increased compensation according to a new initiative, which will be presented to parliament on Friday. The proposed bill will amend the law on the status of a military servant […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–117 persons have been detained by Russian soldiers so far in 2013 close to the so-called administrative borders with the breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia. According to Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), […]
NATO envoy James Appathurai. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO envoy James Appathurai says the alliance does not have any evidence that Georgian troops in Afghanistan ‘are specifically targeted.’ Appathurai, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, said […]
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (left) arriving in Tbilisi Wednesday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–“Yes, Georgia is close [to NATO] but there’s still a lot of work to do,” NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen says. The secretary general is visiting Georgia and on Wednesday held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili […]
Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has taken away the justice minister’s added role as a prosecutor in a new regulation that came into force from Tuesday morning. Speaking at a press conference, Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani explained that before, as justice minister […]
Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili (left), and Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo published on Ivanishvili’s Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says Israel and Georgia may enter an agreement about visa free travel. Ivanishvili said this after meeting with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. He said that they also discussed establishing […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia have detained a fifth person in one of the most controversial cases during the previous government, Sandro Girgvliani’s murder. The Prosecutor’s Office says it has been unknown until quite recently that Tamaz Kokiashvili […]
President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili has vetoed the amendment of three more laws in a package passed by parliament. This time it was about the law on broadcasting, the election code and the law about the public defender. The president’s spokesperson […]
Koba Davitashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A member of parliament from the Georgian Dream coalition suggests introducing restrictions on TV series and other TV programs which ‘contain propaganda of violence, or homosexual, bisexual and polygamous relations.’ Member of Parliament Koba […]
“Nothing urgent is happening in Georgia which would prove it necessary to hold the debate,” Tina Khidasheli, Member of Parliament for Georgian Dream, wrote on Facebook. TBILISI, DFWatch–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, PACE, did not go through with an announced discussion about the ‘deteriorating situation’ in Georgia. During the session which is ongoing in Strasbourg a majority of 73 members voted against […]
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and other NATO tops arrive in Georgia Wednesday for high level talks. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO’s highest political body, the North Atlantic Council, will visit Georgia June 26-27. The delegation, which is headed by Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, have planned meetings with President Mikheil Saakashvili, Prime Minister Bidzina […]
Five thousand tickets were sold for Saturday at Oasis Festival in Mtskheta, Georgia. (DFWatch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Oasis Music Festival was held this weekend in Mtskheta, not far from the capital, with well-known bands like WhoMadeWho, Mumiy Troll and Motorama. The festival lasted two days and was held at Theatron, an area between the old castle and the River […]
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili (left) and Israeli President Shimon Peres. (Photo published on Ivanishvili’s Facebook page.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia and Israel will create a common commission to enhance economic cooperation. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will sign the agreement in Israel Tuesday. On Monday, the first day of a two-day working visit, the Georgian leader met Israeli […]
Former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office on Monday introduced a new charge against former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili, that of abuse of powers in the case of Sandro Girgvliani’s murder. In a statement, the office said Merabishvili took a number […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s GDP in the first quarter of 2013 was 5 782.8 million GEL (USD 3 500 million), which is 2.4 percent more than same period last year. According to Georgia’s National Statistics Department, industry has the largest share for GDP figures […]
President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili says he ordered the establishment of underground weapons caches all over the country. He said, in case of renewed aggression, Georgia wouldn’t be ‘unprotected as it was in 2008.’ “There is nothing new for me in that […]
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili plans to leave office in fall. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili plans to leave his post after the presidential election in October. He said this in an interview with the Russian edition of the Estonian newspaper Postimees on Saturday. The prime minister said he plans to leave […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–PACE will discuss the ‘deteriorating situation in Georgia’ during a session which opens Monday, June 24 and lasts until June 28. Georgia is on today’s agenda under the headline ‘changes in the membership of committees’. The name of the topic […]
Bagrati cathedral in Kutaisi, Georgia. (Unesco.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Culture Ministry in Georgia claims that UNESCO has decided to take Bagrati Cathedral off the World Heritage List. But UNESCO says it is only a question of modifying the boundaries of the site. Bagrati Cathedral, which is located in Georgia’s second largest […]
Committee leader Eka Beselia (center). (Sazogadoeba.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The May 17 initiative group Saturday met with parliament’s human rights committee in order to discuss the draft statement regarding the violence that occurred that day, when radical priests and activists disrupted a small rally against homophobia. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A hailstorm Friday night damaged eight villages in Akhmeta in the eastern Kakheti region of Georgia. The damaged villages are Ashkhnis Velebi, Akhshani, Arashenda, Chabinaani, Khorkheli, Zemo Khodasheni, Ozhio and Atskhuri, according to […]
Rostom Sosiashvili. (Photo from Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A Georgian citizen who was detained May 29 by Russian border guards for crossing the so-called administrative border with South Ossetia was released on Friday, June 21. The 35th session of Incident Prevention and Reaction Mechanisms was held on […]
Some of the tapes found in an underground weapons cache in Samegrelo last week. (Police.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry in Georgia Friday announced the discovery of more weapons in an underground cache in the western Samegrelo region. The latest find adds four more barrels to a cache discovered last week containing weapons, drugs and surveillance […]
Minister of Regional Development Davit Narmania. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s National Statistics Department will starts the first phase of a population census on July 1, 2014. Minister of Regional Development Davit Narmania said Friday that the first part of the work will be conducted in the regions Adjara, […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian border guards have detained two more locals on the de facto border with South Ossetia while several people detained during the last few weeks still remain in detention. According to locals, armed Russian border guards took Zaza Khidasheli […]
Tamta Mikeladze is strategic litigations lawyer at Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. The May 17 incident and its subsequent developments should be discussed in two paradigms: the legal and the socio-cultural. The legal aspect relates to the state, whereas the socio-cultural is linked to society, in particular the existing social and cultural structures. […]
Parliament’s human rights committee has cast doubt on the authenticity of a petition signed by 12 000 people asking for accountability for the violence last month. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–June 20 a protest rally was held at Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel while parliament’s human rights committee was holding a meeting inside. A few days ago, the committee presented a draft statement about the events of May 17, when radical clerics and […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) claims that there is no legal act that regulates the procedures for awarding bonuses within state agencies. GYLA has studied data from Georgian ministries, the government chancellery, the presidential […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–After criticism from the US Congress the government in Georgia decided to display proof of the former government’s illegal actions and organized a presentation of videos showing torture and mistreatment. There was first a screening for diplomats […]
Kathy Frankovic, one of the co-authors of the report. (DF Watch photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A new report about the political polls in 2012 warns of a dangerous trend if last year’s polls continue this year ahead of the presidential election in October. The report Making Public Polling Matter found that the results of last year’s polls […]
Tedo Japaridze is Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Parliament of Georgia. For eight years, long before the 2008 war, I served as Ambassador of Georgia to Washington. At the time, the main issue at hand was capacity-building: to think in terms of policies, allocating competencies and tasks, preparing the normative ground, pinpointing […]
Giorgi Sigua, head of Georgian National Tourism Administration. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–57 percent of foreigners who crossed the border into Georgia in first quarter of 2013 were tourists, according to the first result of a report conducted by the Georgian National Tourism Administration. Giorgi Sigua, head of the administration, said […]
The tapes were found along with weapons, explosives and drugs inside these plastic barrels. (Police.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry in Georgia Thursday will hold a screening for media leaders of newly discovered videos of torture and rape, but filming will not be allowed. A few dozen people will be shown the tapes which were discovered in a buried weapons cache […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry in Georgia changed its mind about publishing videos showing torture of prisoners, but said nine persons have been detained regarding the discovery of the weapons cache where the videos were found. Minister of Internal Affairs […]
Facebook users are reacting to human rights committee head Eka Beselia hinting that their online signatures are fraudulent. TBILISI, DFWatch–The head of the Georgian parliament’s human rights committee has come under fire on social networks, after she instructed her committee to investigate whether 12 000 signatures in a petition are real or fake. The petition is addressed to […]
Vano Merabishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The former interior minister Vano Merabishvili, who is in prison awaiting trial, will get a TV set in his cell today or tomorrow, according to the prison minister, Sozar Subari. Merabishvili, who is a long-time ally of President Saakashvili and […]
Georgia’s Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili plans to release a video today at a meeting where also foreign diplomats will be present. The video is said to contain strong scenes of sexual abuse of prisoners and was discovered in an underground […]
Paata Zakareishvili, Georgia’s Minister of Reintegration. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Russia, the transport ministry and travel agencies are ready to start negotiations about reopening regular air travel with Georgia. The minister of reintegration in Georgia says ‘this is not bad generally’. Alexander Lukashevich, spokesperson […]
Almost thirty people were injured on May 17, 2013, as Orthodox Christian activists broke up a small gay rights demonstration. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The human rights committee in parliament is preparing a resolution about the May 17 events, when thousands of Orthodox Christians disrupted a protest by a few tens of LGBT activists. The resolution was a response to an appeal addressed to the speaker […]
Vano Merabishvili during his first court appearance in Kutaisi last month. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Vano Merabishvili, Secretary General of the United National Movement party, has gone on hunger strike in prison to demand a TV set. When contacted by DF Watch, representatives of the Prison Ministry were only willing to say that he really […]
Vano Merabishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Saakashvili’s party is still planning to hold primary elections to select a candidate for the presidential election, even though party secretary Vano Merabishvili is in detention. The names of the participants have not been revealed, […]
Photo released by Georgian Interior Ministry. (Police.ge.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Interior Ministry in Georgia has discovered an underground cache in the Samegrelo region, which borders with breakaway Abkhazia. The cache contained ammunition, explosives and explosive devices, grenades, automatic rifles and other weapons. […]
Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia is planning to introduce a law aimed at protecting the rights of religious, sexual, ethnic and other minorities in the country and avoid discrimination. Speaking at Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Tbilisi, Justice Minister Thea […]
The bridge across the river Enguri with border post. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian border guards Sunday detained a Georgian citizen near the administrative border around Abkhazia. A reporter for Interpressnews said Russian border guards took Tengiz Kurua from the village Orsantia, Zugdidi. Kurua was walking along the […]
Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream bloc wants to keep having a relatively low threshold for amending the constitution and to give parliament longer time to work out a budget before it leads to a government’s dismissal and a new election. […]
President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A statement by the U.S Congress about defense cooperation with Georgia caused debate in the country on Saturday. Government officials claim the congress was misled by a lack of, or incorrect, information about current events, while their opponents claim […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–A court in Tbilisi determined sixteen persons as guilty of torture of prisoners, humiliation and mistreatment, but recognized Vladmier Bedukadze, the person who released the video footage documenting it, as innocent. He was freed from criminal […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, two seats still remain vacant in the High Council of Justice after an election that has been going on for two weeks. Four more members were elected by parliament in the second round, but due to objections by representatives from […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Friday prayer in Samtatskharo, a village in eastern Georgia, went ahead as normal without interruptions yesterday, after being canceled three weeks in a row due to protests by locals. Minister of Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili showed up […]
