Month: February 2018

Integration of ethnic Azeris starts with language: challenges in quality education and employment

February 27, 2018 by DFW-admin

In Soviet times, the great majority of the population of Georgia spoke Russian, which served as the language of inter-ethnic communication. 66 year old Bayram Abbasov, resident of Telaveri village of Bolnisi district, describes that since Russian was the common language, they had little or no knowledge of Georgian. “We did not feel disenfranchised if … Read more

Abkhazian 'residency permit' enforced by threat of cutting off pensions

February 25, 2018 by DFWatch staff

GALI, DFWatch–After requiring people to obtain a residency permit which costs almost USD 200, breakaway Abkhazia now threatens to cut off pensions and teachers’ salaries of those who don’t comply. Locals in the Gali region consider the new regulation a form of blackmail.

Georgia demands investigation into death of war veteran in South Ossetia prison

February 23, 2018 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–A former Georgian military serviceman died Friday morning in South Ossetia after what appears to have been physical abuse by prison guards. Georgia demands an immediate and impartial investigation of the incident and access to the corpse for Georgian forensic experts. The breakaway region’s Security Ministry announced the death of Archil Tatunashvili Friday morning. … Read more

South Ossetia hit by population crisis as birth rate drops 20% in five years

February 22, 2018 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetia’s population is dwindling, and the de facto authorities will have to do something to address the problem, local media report.

In 2017, there were born 513 babies in the breakaway region, which has experienced a 20% drop in its birth rate

Minibuses replacing horse carts at Enguri Bridge

February 21, 2018 by DFWatch staff

GALI, DFWatch–Four-wheel horse carts (‘tachkas’) are still the main means of transport for crossing the Enguri Bridge, which separates breakaway Abkhazia from Georgia proper. However, recently three ‘marshrutkas’ have started competing for this profitable business,

Read more

Georgian president accuses Russia of running smear campaign in Europe

February 21, 2018 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–The president of Georgia has hinted that Russia may have manipulated media in Europe and made them focus on crime committed by Georgian nationals.

“It may be the result of Russian propaganda when in the capitals of some European countries

Gulen-linked school manager released on bail by Tbilisi court

February 19, 2018 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–The manager of a private school linked to the exiled Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen was released on bail by a Tbilisi court on Monday.

Mustafa Emre Cabuk, quality manager at Demirel College, was arrested in May, 2017 in what appeared to be a case of pressure

Police in Georgia warn far-right activists against forming vigilante groups

February 17, 2018 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia on Friday warned far-right activists against forming vigilante groups to patrol Tbilisi streets.

Any attempt by Georgian March to set up vigilante groups will be met with a ‘strict response’, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was quoted as saying

Georgian far-right group plans to form new political party

February 15, 2018 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–A far right group in Georgia that is forming vigilante groups to patrol Tbilisi’s streets looking for ‘suspicious foreigners’ is also planning to establish a new political party.

Leaders of Georgian March confirmed this to different media outlets.

Ukraine detains Saakashvili and deports him to Poland

February 12, 2018 by DFWatch staff

SWAT team in a hotel stairway — An eyewitness caught this video of Saakashvili’s detention, according to an update on the ex-president’s Facebook page.

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili has been deported from Ukraine. Saakashvili was detained in central Kyiv and deported to Poland by the border guard service.

A statement on the service’s website says supporters of Saakashvili