Davit Usupashvili

“Do not break up the trio” – Former leaders of Georgia ask the EU to grant candidate status

By | June 22nd, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , |

Giorgi Margvelashvili. Georgia's two former presidents and four ex-speakers of parliament appeal the EU not to oust Georgia from the "trio" and to grant it candidate status, as it did with Ukraine and Moldova. “The content of the letter is as follows - we agree with the demands of European Commission, the expediency of their fulfillment, [...]

A PM who recently resigned is Georgia’s most popular politician

By | April 5th, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has 65% approval rating among Georgians. TBILISI, DFWatch--A recently retired prime minister is one of Georgia's most popular politicians, according to a new survey published by the International Republican Institute (IRI) on Monday. Giorgi Gakharia, who resigned in February citing disagreement with his party colleagues over the detention of UNM leader [...]

GD considers its party secretary as new speaker of parliament

By | November 5th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

Irakli Kobakhidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–After several weeks of speculation, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Friday confirmed that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party is considering its secretary Irakli Kobakhidze for the post as new speaker of parliament. It was expected that the stern […]

Speaker of parliament leaves Republican Party

By | October 29th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch–Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili on Saturday announced his resignation and departure from the Republican Party, which he was leader of from 2005 to 2013. He stated his reason as disagreement with the founders and current leadership about the party’s […]

‘Georgia should have a U.S. military base before it gets into NATO’

By | September 7th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

Davit Usupashvili (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Republican Party wants to have a U.S. military base in Georgia before the country becomes a full member of NATO. This was one of the statements made by Republican Party members during a debate on Rustavi 2 Tuesday evening, […]

Should Georgia’s foreign policy alignment be defined in the Constitiution?

By | August 30th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

Nino Burjanadze. (Interpressnews.) Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two proposals to define Georgia’s foreign policy alignment in the Constitution were postponed by a parliament committee because not enough MPs showed up. The rebellious opposition leader who started the debate now claims parliament has violated election rules. […]

Republican Party tops reject offer to join Georgian Dream

By | July 18th, 2016|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

Davit Usupashvili (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–The leader of the Republican Party says he and other party tops have received an offer from the ruling Georgian Dream to abandon their own party and join them ahead of the election, but they rejected the offer. In an interview with the newspaper […]

Speaker of parliament wants full disclosure about Istanbul mastermind

By | July 5th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch–The speaker of Georgia’s parliament says people must know the truth about the suspected Istanbul bombing mastermind and his role in a mysterious shooting incident in Georgia in 2012. The same day, a member of government […]

Parliament speaker fears visa-free travel for Georgians may be delayed

By | April 28th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The EU’s plans to allow visa-free travel for citizens of Georgia may be postponed, the Georgian speaker of parliament said Monday. Davit Usupashvili blamed members of the party of former President Mikheil Saakashvili of lobbying against visa […]

Republican Party will remain part of GD coalition

By | March 4th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , , , |

Davit Usupashvili (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Republican Party will remain in the Georgian Dream coalition, Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili said Thursday after meeting Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. The reason for the meeting was a recent statement by the prime minister […]

Georgia’s parliament speaker skeptical to coup allegations

By | October 27th, 2015|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The speaker of the Georgian parliament views with suspicion material published on a website in Ukraine indicating a coup plan against the government in Georgia. Speaker Davit Usupashvili claimed that if a criminal probe is conducted solely based on information provided by the Ukrainian blog […]

Speaker of parliament calls on politicians to defuse tension

By | October 23rd, 2015|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Davit Usupashvili (IPN) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s speaker of parliament calls on authorities and the opposition to avoid making statements that justify violence, as the tension continues surrounding a lawsuit about the ownership of opposition TV channel Rustavi 2. Following […]

Georgia’s Magna Carta

By | July 13th, 2015|Categories: Opinion|Tags: |

Davit Usupashvili is Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. Shakespeare would no doubt concur that democracy has an element of drama. In this drama, a constitution may be likened to a play, minus the actors. Setting the scene, a constitution lays out the notion of a state, like the preamble of a play. Articulating the script, […]

Speaker scolds MPs who have been most absent

By | June 13th, 2015|Categories: In brief|Tags: , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Speaker of Parliament on Friday scolded ten MPs who have been absent up to a hundred times during sessions in parliament. Davit Usupashvili said that according to the rules of parliament, an MP can have a honorary absence for family reasons. […]

Parliament anxiously awaiting the president’s list for new government

By | May 6th, 2015|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Friday is the last day for the president to present parliament with his candidates for a new government. Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili Tuesday evening warned President Giorgi Margvelashvili about the terms of the procedure by saying […]

Georgian speaker visits Ukraine, but have Kiev-Tbilisi ties weakened?

By | April 20th, 2015|Categories: Background|Tags: , |

Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–As Georgia’s speaker of parliament visits Kiev, political analysts in Tbilisi are watching for signs of how strong the bond is between the two governments. Speaker Davit Usupashvili is accompanied by parliament members Tedo Japaridze and Tinatin […]

Parliament speaker says corruption case has harmed Georgia’s defense ability

By | October 30th, 2014|Categories: In brief|Tags: , , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s parliament speaker says the detention of five defense ministry officials accused of corruption has seriously harmed the country’s defense ability, even if the charges turn out to be false. Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili […]

Georgia’s parliament speaker defends Ivanishvili in newspaper ad

By | October 17th, 2014|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili admires Ivanishvili’s philanthropism. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The speaker of the Georgian parliament went on the offensive Thursday against former President Mikheil Saakashvili and in defense of the billionaire who brought together the current government coalition, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Speaker of Parliament […]

Georgian parliament speaker visiting Israel

By | July 22nd, 2014|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian speaker of parliament is Tuesday visiting Israel. Davit Usupashvili will meet with Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, Speaker of the Knesset, as well as with the head of the Israel-Georgia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Avraham Michaeli. Usupashvili […]

NDI poll shows patriarch remains most liked in Georgia

By | May 10th, 2014|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Patriarch Ilia II (seated, left) remains highly liked in Georgia, while former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has had a drop in popularity. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A new poll published by National Democratic Institute (NDI) shows that Patriarch Ilia II remains the most liked person in Georgia. 96 percent of those asked say the like the patriarch. 61 percent say they like Davit Usupashvili, Speaker of Parliament; […]

Georgian parliament condemns Russia’s actions in Crimea

By | March 7th, 2014|Categories: Europe, News|Tags: , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili said the debate about the Ukraine resolution was one of his most difficult days in parliament. TBILISI, DFWatch–Parliament in Georgia Wednesday passed a resolution condemning Russia’s deployment of military forces in Crimea, which it says is a threat to all of Europe. The resolution says Georgia became a victim of Russian military aggression in the war in 2008, […]

Parliament speaker in Georgia sees no threat

By | February 23rd, 2014|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Davit Usupashvili, Speaker of Parliament. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The speaker of parliament in Georgia says there are currently no threats against the country. Gubaz Sanikidze, a member of parliament for the Georgian Dream coalition, said Friday that ‘it will be Georgia’s turn after Ukraine’ and begged the […]

Georgian parliament speaker met Hungary’s president

By | February 14th, 2014|Categories: Europe, News|Tags: , , |

Georgian Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili (left) and President of Hungary, János Áder. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili Friday met Hungarian President János Áder. The two discussed economy, Georgia’s integration with Europe and relations with Russia. Usupashvili is in Hungary together with a Georgian delegation […]

Romania supports Georgia’s EU and NATO aspirations

By | February 11th, 2014|Categories: Europe, News|Tags: , , |

President of the Romanian Senate, Crin Antonescu (left), and Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, David Usupashvili. (Photo published by senat.ro.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Romanian Senate Monday passed a resolution supporting Georgia’s efforts toward integration with Europe and NATO. Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili, who is visiting Romania with other Georgian politicians, was attending the senate as […]

Georgian gov’t updating legislation ahead of local election

By | February 10th, 2014|Categories: Elections, News|Tags: , , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In a week the government in Georgia will decide whether to follow recommendations and proposals made by the non-parliamentary opposition and non-governmental organizations about amendments to the Election Code. Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili […]

Georgian parliament speaker visits Romania and Hungary

By | February 9th, 2014|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Georgian Speaker of Parliament, Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–On Monday, Georgia’s speaker of parliament begins on a five day tour of Romania and Hungary. Speaker Davit Usupashvili will arrive in Romania on February 10 and hold meetings with the speaker of Romania’s senate and parliament, as well as with […]

Georgian and Estonian parliamentarians reinforce ties

By | January 14th, 2014|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Georgian Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili and Estonian Speaker of Parliament Ene Ergma. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of Georgian parliamentarians arrived in Estonia Monday for a two-day visit. The delegation includes MPs from the two opposing power blocs in Georgian politics. On Monday, the Georgian and Estonian speakers of parliament held a meeting to […]

EU integration main goal of Georgia’s governing coalition

By | December 31st, 2013|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s parliament speaker said Monday that the country’s main political priority is signing the Association Agreement with the EU and that all the other issues are subordinate to this priority. Summing up the year 2013 at a press conference, Davit […]

Georgia starts work on new constitution

By | December 31st, 2013|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Photo published by Parliament’s press office.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, a new Constitution Commission is preparing a draft of constitutional amendments that will balance the branches of power. It will start work in the second half of January, 2014. Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili said this on Monday […]

Local government reform modified after criticism from patriarch

By | December 11th, 2013|Categories: Legal reform, News|Tags: , , |

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili has managed to convince the government to amend a disputed passage in a draft bill about local government reform, as promised. The government prepared a draft law to regulate the country’s territorial […]

Khatuna Samnidze elected new Republican Party leader

By | November 4th, 2013|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: , , |

Khatuna Samnidze (left) and Davit Usupashvili (right). (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Republican Party, which is member of the Georgian Dream coalition, Sunday elected a new leader at a party congress. The party elected Khatuna Samnidze as new leader. She has been a party member since 2005 and has served as organizational […]

Georgian parliament speaker finishes ‘interesting’ US visit

By | March 16th, 2013|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian speaker of parliament said his week-long visit to the US has been ‘beneficial, interesting and timely.’ Speaker Davit Usupashvili was Saturday meeting with the media after holding nearly 50 meetings with the US Congress, State […]

‘Ashton to probe Ivanishvili case’

By | December 15th, 2011|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is going to confront the Georgian government about the case of a businessman who is struggling to establish a political movement. Georgian businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili has been subject to a number of misfortunes at the hands of the authorities after he declared his wish to [...]