Monthly Archives: April 2018

Ivanishvili to make political comeback, will head Georgia’s ruling GD

By | April 26th, 2018|Categories: Politics|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch–Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili is making a comeback in politics and will head Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream. The move comes amid ongoing tension within the party’s ranks. “On behalf of myself and my team, I personally asked the party’s founder to lead the party. […]

Lawmaker in Georgia suggests making it a crime to cause offense to religious feelings

By | April 26th, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Emzar Kvitsiani. TBILISI, DFWatch–A conservative MP in Georgia has presented a bill that would prescribe punishment of up to one year in jail for ‘offending someone’s religious feelings’. The human rights committee in parliament agrees with the bill ‘in principle’. “I’m ready to take part in and make […]

Alania diocese facing uncertain future as South Ossetia confiscates bishop’s ‘passport’

By | April 20th, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Bishop Ambrosi. (osinform.org) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Alania diocese, which covers the area of the separatist region South Ossetia, is facing an uncertain future after law enforcers for the breakaway republic confiscated the ‘passport’ of the head of the diocese. The ‘passport’, which is required […]

Seven Georgian schools may be closed in the southern part of Abkhazia

By | April 16th, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

The Georgian school in the village Tagiloni was closed recently. (DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Abkhazia’s breakaway authorities are planning to close seven Georgian schools in Gali, according to locals, who fear that such a decision, if taken, will cause the district to be depopulated. The school closures are being considered as part of an ‘optimization’ plan for the public schools in Abkhazia. […]

Georgian parliament speaker slams Freedom House report

By | April 12th, 2018|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch–The speaker of Georgia’s parliament on Thursday slammed a report by the US based organization Freedom House, accusing its local contributors of being hostile to the Georgian government and the Trump administration. Using extraordinarily strong language […]

Violent attack on Nigerian students sparks racism debate in Tbilisi

By | April 10th, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch-A group of Nigerian students were physically assaulted in the Dighomi neighborhood of Tbilisi Sunday evening. They claim the attack was unprovoked and motivated by racism. The incident, which took place on a playground as the students were playing football, […]

Six killed as coal mine collapses in Tkibuli, Georgia

By | April 5th, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch–Six miners died when a coal mine collapsed in Tkibuli, Georgia Thursday morning. A further three were injured and brought to hospital, where they remained at press time. The immediate cause of the incident is still to be determined. According to a statement […]

GEM Fest 2018 thrown into doubt after application for permit rejected

By | April 4th, 2018|Categories: Youth|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch–GEM Fest may be canceled this year, after an agency of the Georgian government denied the festival a permit to rent a land plot. The fate of the annual electronic music festival, which is popular among youth in Georgia and neighboring countries, was thrown into doubt because the The National Agency of State Property (NASP) […]

Ketevan Tsikhelashvili: “We are making open and determined peace statement”

By | April 4th, 2018|Categories: Opinion|Tags: |

Today the Government of Georgia adopted a package of draft legislative amendments by that making a new, proactive and important step in the frames of peace policy of reconciliation and engagement. […]

Russia bans fruit and vegetables from Abkhazia, which in turn blocks same products from Georgia

By | April 1st, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Breakaway vice premier Aslan Kobakhia finds it strange that Russia has imposed a blockade only on Abkhazia, not Georgia. (aiaaira.com.) TBILISI, DFWatch–From April 2, Moscow will prohibit the import of fruit, vegetables and herbs from breakaway Abkhazia, which heavily relies on selling agricultural commodities to Russia. Sokhumi responded by imposing an embargo […]