The Prosecutor General’s Office. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia wants to create a new department which will investigate offenses committed in the course of legal proceedings. The initiative comes after the office has received thousands of applications from victims of alleged […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili plans a TV series about the nine years of National Movement rule. In an interview with Imedi TV on Wednesday, Ivanishvili said the name of the series will be ‘9+1’, which indicates the nine […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–In a new report, Human Rights Watch criticizes Georgia for failing to prosecute attacks on activists from the National Movement, even though the perpetrators have been identified. In its latest world report, the organization writes that during […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili is preparing a report about three NGO activists. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The godfather of the government in Georgia, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, was rebuked by the US ambassador Thursday after criticizing three of the most influential NGO leaders in the country. In a long TV interview on one of the national TV […]
TBILISI, DFWatch- The possibility to study Georgian intensively for one year and then to continue studies in any Georgian university seems like a great opportunity for students coming from ethnic minority background. How helpful is the integration program […]
(Guerilla Gardening/Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Environmental activists in Tbilisi on Wednesday continued their protest against the construction of a hotel inside one of the city’s central parks. City Hall decided to fine the company for minor violations, but protesters want a halt in the construction […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Finance Ministry’s investigation service is going through the accounting documents of Gulf, one of the largest oil retail companies in Georgia. According to the vice president of the company’s marketing department, the service entered […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Imedi TV.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Bidzina Ivanishvili, the businessman who created the Georgian Dream coalition, on Wednesday criticized the president in an interview with Imedi TV. For the last year, the president and prime minister in Georgia have been in a subdued conflict. […]
Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Imedi TV.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili criticizes the party of ex-President Saakashvili, the National Movement, of encouraging youth to volunteer for the war in Ukraine. “[Mikheil] Saakashvili and others who wish to see Georgians going […]
Emzar Kvitsiani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A former warlord who was sentenced to 12 years in jail last November, was Wednesday released after entering a plea agreement. Emzar Kvitsiani, who was convicted of leading the mutiny in Kodori Gorge in 2006 and for setting up an illegal paramilitary […]
The National Bank. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian lari has dropped in value again and is now traded for more than two US dollars – the lowest exchange rate for the last eleven years. According to the National Bank, the exchange rate for lari on January 28 is 2.0144 for one USD. […]
The brothers Kublashvili: Pavle (inset) was head of parliament’s judiciary committee and Kote head of Supreme Court. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Consultations are continuing in Tbilisi’s political circles to find a new head of Supreme Court. Current head Kote Kublashvili’s term expires in the end of February. During Kublashvili’s ten year tenure, the court system in Georgia became […]
Ia Metreveli. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A prisoner serving time for drug related crime claims he was forced to carry out a murder in 2008, but the plan was called off. The prisoner’s story was discovered by the Georgian ombudsman, who recommended that the case be investigated […]
This woman’s job is to remove pieces of wood and other impurities from the manganese ore, using her bare hands. Chiatura. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Trade Union blames a weak labor code for what it says is a rise in the number of deaths in the workplace since the Saakashvili regime took away almost all worker protection in 2006. During Saakashvili, the labor code was changed so there […]
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow. (NATO.) TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO’s deputy secretary general, Alexander Vershbow, will visit Georgia January 29-30. The purpose of the trip is to monitor the implementation of a ‘substantive package’ offered by the alliance at the Wales summit last summer, according […]
Prisoners with life sentence feel they are being discriminated against, Dimitry Lortkipanidze explained. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–At least 50 prisoners serving life sentences have gone on hunger strike to demand to benefit from a mass amnesty introduced in early 2013. The prisoners want to change their life sentences into a set number of years, after which […]
Vakhtang Gomelauri. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday appointed Vakhtang Gomelarui as new interior minister after the previous minister resigned in connection with the bombing of a human rights activist. Until now, Gomelauri served as first deputy […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch—Yuri Vazagashvili was Sunday buried in the village Karapila, near Kaspi, 50 km west of the capital. He was buried next to his son Zurab, who died in a police operation in 2006 during the Saakashvili regime and became a symbol of the heavy-handed […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Lithuanian prime minister on Monday starts a two day visit to Georgia. On the first day of his visit, Algirdas Butkevičius will meet his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashivli after an official welcoming ceremony at the government office […]
Ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Only 35 out of 154 of the ombudsman recommendations in 2014 were followed, according to a report published on Friday. 22 out of the 154 recommendations to central and local government bodies, or the government officials were partly fulfilled, 47 not fulfilled […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The fallout from a bombing of a rights activist in Georgia last week continued Sunday with several prosecutors asking to be suspended and police officers being fired. On Friday, the interior minister resigned. This was followed by the […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A high-ranking police official in Georgia resigned Friday evening. His resignation follows that of the interior minister, and is related to the bombing of a rights activist last Wednesday. The activist, Yuri Vazagasvili, was blown up while standing […]
Alexandre Chikaidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Interior Minister Alexandre Chikaidze, who was hardly seen in public during his tenure, on Friday resigned following the controversial murder of Yuri Vazagashvili. In his letter of resignation to the PM, Chikaidze writes that he made the […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A former government official charged in the case of Sergo Tetradze’s murder, was on Friday sentenced to nine years in jail by the Appeals Court of Georgia. Megis Kardava, who held the post of deputy at the military police department, was found […]
Protesters were outraged when the Culture Ministry suddenly allowed RMG Gold to proceed with mining blasts at Sakdrisi in December. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Doubt has been cast on the Georgian parliament’s plans to have an inquest into the destruction of a prehistoric gold mine, as a leading parliamentarian says he no longer thinks it’s a good idea. The ancient cave complex in Sakdrisi in southern […]
Mohamadamin Ruintan is suspected of having murdered a 16 year old girl, Mariam Kochalidze, in July 2013. (Ministry of Internal Affairs.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Iran has detained the suspect in the murder of a 16 year old girl in Batumi in July, 2013. Mariam Kochalidze was found dead with her throat slashed and a large stone [...]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The body of a Georgian volunteer fighter who died in Ukraine on January 17 arrived in Georgia on Wednesday and will be brought to his hometown Khashuri today. Earlier, there was a public funeral for Tamaz Sukhiashvili, 36, in Kiev, which was attended […]
Yuri Vazagashvili (right) with Bidzina Ivanishvili in February 2012. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–At least thirty people have so far been questioned about the death of Yuri Vazagashvili, father of a victim of a controversial police operation in 2006. Zurab Vazagashvili’s death nearly nine years ago became a symbol of the heavy-handed police […]
China’s Ambassador to Georgia Yue Bin met with Georgia’s Minister for Agriculture Otar Danelia on Wednesday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s agriculture minister on Wednesday met with the Chinese ambassador to discuss bilateral relations and the mostly positive dynamic in trade relations. Ambassador Yue Bin said that the year 2014 was the most successful, fruitful and positive […]
(EUMM.) TBILISI, DFWatch–At a regular field meeting Tuesday between the parties in the 2008 South Ossetia war, Georgia brought up the question of how to bring home the body of a 19 year old boy who was recently found dead in South Ossetia after being missing for six months. […]
It is still unclear whether Yuri Vazagashvili was killed or committed suicide. (Interpressnews) Tbilisi, DFWatch – A father of a victim of controversial police special operation back in 2006 was found dead on the grave of his son as result of an explosion on Tuesday. It is still unknown whether it was a suicide or a homicide, […]
Muslims rally in a village Duisi, Pankisi Gorge (Interpressnews) TBILISI, DFWatch–Muslims in a valley northeast in Georgia demonstrated Monday against the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo for publishing a caricature depicting Prophet Mohammad on January 14. People in the village Duisi, in Pankisi Gorge, believe the cartoon […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president on Monday posthumously honored priest Ilia Kartozia, 27, for his bravery rescuing people in the Norman Atlantic ferry disaster. The fire on Norman Atlantic started on December 28. There were eight Georgians aboard, all of whom […]
Tamaz Sukhiashvili would have become 37 years old on Sunday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A third Georgian has died in the war in Ukraine. Tamaz Sukhiashvili, 36, was killed in the battle for Donetsk Airport near the village of Pisky on January 17, fighting alongside Kiev’s forces. Three more Georgians were slightly wounded in the same battle. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in 2014 was five percent more than the previous year according to preliminary data from the National Statistics Department, GeoStat. The turnover totalled USD 11,459 million. According to the preliminary […]
Photo shows an earlier police razzia of a brothel in Adjara, November 2013. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A Chinese citizen was on Sunday detained in Georgia’s second largest city Kutaisi for providing premises used for prostitution. According to the Interior Ministry, the suspect rented a house on Chavchavadze Avenue 33 and opened a parlour offering […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–23 Georgian sailors have been stuck on five ships under Greek management close to Benin in western Africa. The sailors are asking for help because their supplies of food and water are running low and they haven’t received their salaries for about six months. […]
The Patriarchy, the governing body of the Georgian Orthodox Church. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In its first comments about the Charlie Hebdo tragedy, the Georgian Orthodox Church condemns the terror act but also calls on the government ‘to set a limit to freedom of expression in order to protect other internationally recognized human rights.’ […]
(DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Money transfers to Georgia in December 2014 were 24.9 percent lower than in the same period in 2013, according to new figures from the National Bank. The amount of money transfers in December was USD 116.1 milllion, which was USD 38.5 million […]
(Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A film made by a Georgian filmmaker which was previously nominated for a Golden Globe, was Thursday nominated for an Oscar. Tangerines, a Georgian-Estonian co-production, was selected for the short list of foreign language film nominees together […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A 77 year old man who went missing a few days ago in the village Ergneti next to South Ossetia was found dead on Thursday. Valiko Kasradze disappeared late at night on January 12. His family thought he might have lost his way and been detained […]
National Movement activists demonstrating outside the university tower. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia wants to sell a high-rise in Batumi that was built during the previous government to be used for a new university. Then president Mikeil Saakashvili opened the 35-storey tower in 2012, which has a small ferris wheel […]
Victims of the Paris terror comemmorated in Tbilisi. (Interpress “Freedom of speech and the press are supreme values that must be duly protected everywhere and at all times,” Irakli Garibashvili stated before flying to the global peace rally in Paris. These are the words of the man who was the head of the Ministry of Internal […]
Gia Getsadze is nominated for the position of the first deputy justice minister in charge of fighting corruption (Photo from Facebook) Former deputy interior minister and three more former Georgian officials have been nominated on high positions in Ukaraine Justice Ministry and will officially be appointed immediately after getting Ukrainian citizenship. All of them [...]
Irakli Garibashvili, the PM, at the opening ceremony of the five-stars hotel in Borjomi resort town (Press Office photo) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Irakli Garibashvili, the PM, once more publicly disregards the President stating that government members have no obligation to attend the latter’s the state of the nation address at the parliament in February. The constitution doesn’t oblige government […]
Tbilisi, DFWatch – Amid tensions over appointment of former Georgian officials on the high positions in Ukraine, Georgian parliamentary delegation visits Kiev Nov. 19, according to the chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee. Tedo Japaridze, […]
Giorgi Margvelashvili advises Saakashvili to stop damaging the country’s interests. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President of Georgia slammed his predecessor Mikheil Saakashvili, accusing him of manipulating with important and strategic issues of the country’s security just for his own interests. Mikheil Saakashvili earlier in Monday criticized […]
Dvani. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One Georgian was detained Monday in a village that lies on the de facto border with the breakaway region South Ossetia. One more is missing in another village, and presumed detained. The first incident took place in Dvani, a village which […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A Chinese worker was injured in a fire on Sunday on the construction site of the future Olympic village in Tbilisi. About 700 square meters was burned in the fire. The Chinese worker who was injured was taken to hospital. The fire spread across […]
Ivanishvili will not be a host on the talk show ‘2030’, which is to go on air next month. (Photo: Channel 1.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Georgian PM Bidzina Ivanishvili has finally abandoned the idea to host a political talk show on a TV channel owned by his rapper son Bera. The launch of the talk show has been postponed several times. Finally, in the end of 2014, it was announced […]
Many roads have been closed until now due to heavy snowfall that began on January 6. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Traffic restrictions have been lifted on most road sections in Georgia after being closed due to heavy snowfall that began on January 6. According to the most recent data from the road department, traffic is now moving freely through the Rikoti […]
Teaching in Tserakvi village. Chemtai definitely prefers living in the village. “If my university was in the village I would go tomorrow” When Chemtai Yegon, a young woman from Kenya, came to Georgia a few years ago to teach English and study Georgian, she faced a lot of challenges, like her first real winter with frost and snow, ‘no one speaking English’, and some encounters with aggressive […]
(Rustavi 2.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Another historical object allegedly more than 6,000 years old is believed to be destroyed by a construction company. In a report by the TV channel Rustavi 2, archeologist Iulon Gagoshidze tried to raise the alarm about excavation work at Beri Kldeebi settlement, […]
Representatives for the company Sinohydro Corporation Ltd met Kvemo Kartli governor Giorgi Mghebrishvili and Rustavi mayor Davit Jikia in April 2014. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In a village just south of the Georgian capital Tbilisi, locals are protesting against a Chinese company which they claim is destroying their farm land. Residents in Krtsanisi fear that if the company continues its work, a road leading to the village […]
Two Latvian tourists are stranded in the Jvari pass due to the snow. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two Latvian tourists are stranded in Jvari pass in the north of Georgia. Snowfall is also causing other problems in parts of Georgia. Some areas in the north are without electricity and food supplies. A rescue operation is underway in Jvari pass […]
Statue in Akhalkalaki of Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the Armenian alphabet. (Interpressnews.) It is a hard winter for ethnic Armenians living in Georgia’s southern Samtskhe-Javakheti region. The fall of the ruble has led to less money being sent home from relatives who have found jobs in Russia, and Georgia’s new immigration law is forcing people […]
Weather created difficulties on roads of Georgia over the few days (Road Department photo) Tbilisi, DFWatch – Parts of the important roads in Georgia, including a highway connecting it with Armenia are still blocked due to heavy snow and danger of the deadly avalanches. According to the most recent data of the Georgia’s Road Department, […]
Tourists at Jvari Church in Mtskheta. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia had a two percent growth in tourism in 2014. More than 5.4 million people visited the country last year, which is a 1.9 percent increase compared to 2013. The Interior Ministry published its monthly statistics of visitors to Georgia, […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Tbilisi on Sunday detained three suspects who all pleaded guilty of the murder of two brothers during a robbery of an office. According to the Interior Ministry, the crime took place in Dighomi, a northern Tbilisi suburb. The perpetrators, […]
(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A 19-year-old boy who has been missing for six month has been found dead in South Ossetia. Davit Basharuli was declared missed last summer. On Monday, locals discovered his body hanging from a tree between Akhalgori and the village Ikoti, […]
The minibus was flung tens of meters away when it was hit by the train. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Three died and dozens were injured as result of a minibus crashing with a train in western Georgia on January 2. The injured remain in hospital, several of them in a serious condition. Among the injured there were four minors. The accident […]
(Photo by Italian Navy.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A witness has told how a Georgian priest helped save people before he himself perished in the Norman Atlantic disaster. Father Ilia Kartozia reinforced other passengers’ confidence, which aided in the evacuation of the doomed ferry, Irakli, a Georgian survivor, […]
Bakhmaro. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–One person is believed to have been taken by an avalanche in Bakhmaro, in the Guria region of western Georgia. The victim was part of a group of four youth who were visiting the winter resort on December 31. All of them are still missing and rescue […]
Nino Evgenidze is Executive Director of the Economic Policy Research Center. In 2015 Armenia became a full-fledged member of the Russian-led Eurasian Customs Union (ECU). Georgia, on the other hand signed Association Agreement (AA) and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union. […]
