TBILISI, November 20 – An opposition lawmaker on Thursday challenged the government’s version of a breakdown in human rights dialogue with Brussels, claiming that the ruling party was trying to circumvent sanctions policy. Vika Pilpani, a member of parliament for the For Georgia party, claimed Tbilisi attempted to send a sanctioned official as part of … Read more
TBILISI, October 29 – Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream has formally petitioned the Constitutional Court to ban three opposition parties, accusing them of working to undermine the country’s democratic order. The move, announced Tuesday, has set off fierce debate in Tbilisi and beyond, with critics calling it a political purge and supporters saying it’s a … Read more
TBILISI, October 28 – Georgia’s political scene heated up Tuesday as former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s party finally took its 12 seats in parliament after nearly a year-long boycott, and immediately clashed with lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party. The session opened with parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili greeting the opposition newcomers with a jab: … Read more
TBILISI, October 20 – The opposition party For Georgia (“sakartvelostvis”) said on Monday it will end its year-long boycott of the legislature, switching sides among a deeply divided opposition. With party founder Giorgi Gakharia currently in exile, the dramatic switchover was announced at a press briefing by a deputy leader, Giorgi Sharashidze, and means the … Read more
TBILISI, September 1 – Former Georgian prime minister Giorgi Gakharia has been outside the country for more than two months, and on August 30 local media reported that he has received residency in Germany. His party, For Georgia, which is running a joint candidate with Lelo for Tbilisi mayor, did not confirm the claim but … Read more
TBILISI, August 31 – Irakli Kupradze, a candidate for mayor of Tbilisi, has been meeting residents in the city’s Samgori and Varketili districts. His campaign team, backed by two pro-EU opposition parties, said he was out meeting people in order to listen directly to their everyday problems. Kupradze pledged that, if elected, addressing these local … Read more
TBILISI, August 18 – Two Georgian opposition parties, Lelo and For Georgia, have named Irakli Kupradze as their joint candidate for Tbilisi mayor in the October 4 local elections. Giorgi Sharashidze was presented as candidate for chairman of the City Council, while Aleko Elisashvili and Tata Khvedeliani were put forward as deputy mayoral candidates. The … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tensions are escalating within Georgia’s opposition as two parties declared they will participate in the upcoming local elections on October 4. The decision by the parties For Georgia, led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, and Lelo – Strong Georgia have have triggered resignations, internal divisions, and fierce criticism from opposition groups that have … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tensions are escalating within Georgia’s opposition as two parties declared they will participate in the upcoming local elections on October 4. The decision by the parties For Georgia, led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, and Lelo – Strong Georgia have have triggered resignations, internal divisions, and fierce criticism from opposition groups that have … Read more