Irakli Garibashvili meeting with Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. (Facebook/Government of Georgia.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia’s prime minister on Tuesday rejected the two main demands put forth by the opposition, thus prolonging the country’s four and a half months long political crisis. "The next parliamentary elections will be held in 2024," Prime [...]
The letter is addressed to Federica Mogherini. (EU Commission.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Eight non-governmental organizations in the Georgian capital ask the EU to specify exactly how to measure the reforms the country is carrying out after signing an association agreement with the EU in 2014. The association agreement involves […]
Irakli Garibashvili asked Belgium to speed up the ratification process. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Belgium became the last member country to add its consent to Georgia’s association agreement with the European Union on Thursday. The agreement has now been ratified by all 28 member states as well as EU’s own institutions […]
(DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Non-governmental organizations on Friday presented a report about how Georgia is doing in fulfilling its requirements under an association agreement signed with EU in 2014. The report outlines progress in some fields, but also problems […]
Kakhi Kaladze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia denies the veracity of a report that the Czech parliament has postponed the ratification of Georgia’s association agreement with the EU because of a dispute about a fine to a large Czech energy company in Georgia. A few days ago, […]
(opis.sejm.gov.pl.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Poland ratified the association agreement between Georgia and the EU on Friday; the 13th EU member state to do so. The vote in the Sejm was 439 for ratification, none against and one abstaining. The agreement gives Georgia free trade access […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–With 490 votes against 76 and 57 absentees European Parliament Thursday approved EU-Georgia’s Association Agreement and adopted a resolution about Georgia with 491 votes against 84 and 63 absentees. The current Georgian president and his […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The EU Parliament is voting today over whether to ratify an treaty with Georgia signed in June and already partly in force. The so-called association agreement offers free trade to EU’s vast market in return for incorporating hundreds of EU regulations […]
(parliament.hu) TBILISI, DFWatch–The parliament in Hungary on Tuesday ratified agreements signed with the EU by Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The press service of Georgia’s Foreign Ministry erroneously said that 127 deputies voted for ratification. But in fact, 122 MPs supported […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Two members of the European Parliament on Wednesday called on member states to accelerate the ratification of the association agreements signed with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in June. Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine signed association agreements […]
Zurab Abashidze. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A Georgian diplomat says the reason Russia decided to suspend its free trade agreement with Georgia is that Georgia is not member of the Russia-initiated Customs Union. Zurab Abashidze, Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Russian […]
Georgian PM Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Government officials in Georgia claim it will not bring serious financial harm to the country if Russia suspends its free trade agreement with Georgia. On Wednesday, the Russian Duma was reported to be preparing a draft bill about suspending […]
Georgia’s wine export has boomed after a recent taw in relations with Russia. TBILISI, DFWatch–Russia plans to suspend its free trade agreement with Georgia. According to Ria Novosti, the Russian Duma has prepared a draft bill about suspending the free trade agreement with Georgia. The note of the draft reads that the agreement signed between […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian parliament on Friday ratified a new agreement with the European Union which was signed three weeks ago. The vote took place at a special session with 123 out of 150 MPs voting for and none against.27 MPs didn’t attend the session. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian parliament will vote on whether to ratify the Association Agreement with the European Union on Friday. Several prominent European politicians are expected to attend the vote, including Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin, Latvian […]
EU Ambassador to Georgia Philip Dimitrov. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–EU Ambassador to Georgia Philip Dimitrov says business in Georgia will have to do a lot and is not going to be served breakfast in bed after the signing of the association agreement. Speaking at a conference in Batumi, Dimitrov told […]
The Lithuanian parliament, Seimas. (Photo: Marcin Białek.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday ratified the association agreements between Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova with the EU. The vote was almost unanimous, according to the webpage of the national assembly, called Seimas. Lithuania is often […]
“We will do our best to continue free trade with Russia,” says Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Georgia’s Economy Minister. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Sunday that his country will try to have free trade with both Russia and the European Union. An expert meeting between Georgian and Russian bureaucrats is planned for Monday in Prague […]
The Moldovan parliament. TBILISI, DFWatch–As the first EU member state, Romania on Thursday ratified Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova’s association agreements with the Union. Leaders of the three countries in Europe’s southeast signed the agreements at a ceremony in Brussels on June […]
Georgians celebrated the new agreement with the EU until late night Friday. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–On June 27, Georgia became part of a big family, President Margvelashvili said at a concert in Tbilisi to celebrate the event. The concert took place at Europe Square near the presidential palace and was to celebrate the signing […]
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that Russia might take measures against the EU’s new free trade area on its doorstep. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A threat by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia may take protective measures against the EU’s new free trade area on its doorstep are not being taken seriously by an analyst DF Watch spoke to. By signing the association agreement […]
From left to right, Petro Poroshenko (seated), Jose Manuel Barroso, Herman Van Rompuy and Irakli Gharibashvili. (Photo published by Gharinashvili.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia on Friday signed the Association Agreement with the EU in Brussels. The 1,135 page document was signed by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, EU Council President Herman van Rompuy, EU Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso, and heads of state of all EU’s 28 members. […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia today signs the association agreement with the EU at 09:00 in Brussels. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili and the rest of the Georgian delegation arrived on Thursday. At Place du Luxembourg, Georgians have gathered together with […]
TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia plans to hold a big outdoors concert in the capital to celebrate the signing of a treaty with the European Union on June 27. Georgian singers from Europe and from Georgia will perform at the concert, which will also feature […]
Wine export is one of the trade issues between Georgia and Russia. TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia and Russia plan to hold a meeting of experts on trade and economic issues. The meeting will also deal with Georgia’s signing of a new treaty with the European Union about reforms and free trade. On the agenda is two treaties that Georgia […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili will not be present during the signing of a treaty between Georgia and the EU in Brussels on Friday. TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian president, whose authority includes signing international treaties and who delegated the right to sign the Association Agreement with EU to the prime minister, won’t be in the Georgian delegation. Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze […]
Why was child protection left out the EU’s agreement with Georgia? the authors ask. On June 27, Georgia and Moldova will sign in Brussels the Association Agreements with the European Union that were initialed last year in Vilnius (Ukraine’s new authorities are expected to sign only the economic part of the Agreements on the same day). After a high level meeting that took place last month between president […]
Socially vulnerable are in difficult situation in Georgia. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Technical preparations for Georgia and Moldova signing free trade treaties with the European Union ended Monday. As ten days are left until the signing, there is little debate among ordinary Georgians about what the treaty will really mean to […]
President of the EU Commission, José Manuel Barroso (left), and Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso Thursday arrived in Georgia on the second leg of his visit to countries on Russia’s southwestern perimeter. Barroso said the Association Agreement Georgia is to sign on June 27 is not ‘exclusive’, […]
José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. (Photo published by the EU.) TBILISI, DFWatch–José Manuel Barroso will visit Georgia Thursday and Friday. The two day stopover will be the EU Commission president’s first official visit to Georgia. Barroso is arriving from Moldova, and will leave for Azerbaijan on June 14. During […]
Georgian PM Irakli Gharibashvili (left), German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Ukraine’s PM Arseniy Yatseniuk. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The prime ministers of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine on Wednesday met with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel in Germany. “We would like people to know that which road to choose, and our meeting today is held exactly for this [purpose],” […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has transferred the right to sign an Association Agreement with EU to the prime minister for him to sign. Who will sign the AA has been a subject of debate the last few weeks. Government officials have […]
President Giorgi Margvelashvili could delegate signing power to Prime Minister Gharibashvili when Georgia signs an association agreement with the EU June 27, an expert on the constitution suggests. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili maintains that he should sign Georgia’s association agreement with the EU, but says he wants to avoid a dispute about the issue. Shalva Tadumadze, parliamentary secretary of the government, said Friday […]
Georgia’s treaty with the EU will be signed by Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, although he is not head of state. Will that make the treaty invalid? (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–When Georgia signs an association agreement with the European Union in late June, it will be Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili who will do the signing. This is despite it clearly being stated in the constitution that the president is the one who signs […]
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili will sign Georgia’s association agreement with the EU, although he is not the head of state. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU will be signed by the prime minister, although he is not the head of state. In all of EU’s 28 member states, the Association Agreement with Georgia will be signed by the head of state, which usually […]
Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council. (Interpressnews.) TBILILSI, DFWatch–Georgia will sign an association agreement with the EU on June 27. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili announced the date at a meeting with Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council. “We received confirmation that Georgia will sign the […]
French President François Hollande arrived at Tbilisi airport Tuesday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–French President Francois Hollande arrived in Tbilisi Tuesday at midday. Hollande’s visit is the last stop of a tour of the South Caucasus. He was arriving from Armenia where he spent Monday, and before that Azerbaijan on Sunday. Arriving […]
Priests demonstrated outside parliament Tuesday. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Clerics in Georgia don’t want a Europe where ‘homosexuality is legalized,’ and call on parliament to not pass an anti-discrimination law required for the signing of an association agreement with the EU. The Georgian parliament has two more […]
Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU is not a threat to Russia-Georgia relations. Steinmeier, who is visiting Georgia with his French colleague Laurent Fabius, said at a press […]
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The foreign ministers of Germany and France will visit Georgia on April 23-24. Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany and France’s Laurent Fabius were originally to have visited Georgia on March 3, but they both postponed due to events in Ukraine. […]
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–When Georgia finally signs the Association Agreement with the EU by the end of June, it will be the prime minister who does the signing, not the president. Exactly who will sign the agreement – president or prime minister – has been a subject of […]
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian prime minister wants to define a family as a union between a man and a woman. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili says he has asked the constitutional commission to look at his proposal. “Though according to the current legislation, […]
Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves warns that Georgia’s EU treaty may be stalled if the investigation of former officials continues. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Western partners are threatening that prosecuting former President Saakashvili may jeopardize an EU treaty and membership in NATO. Georgia has for years sought closer integration with the European Union and membership in NATO. In June, […]
EU leaders will sign treaties with Georgia and Moldova no later than June 2014, Barroso wrote on Twitter. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Council accelerates the process of signing association agreements with two former Soviet republics, Georgia and Moldova. The move comes amid an escalating crisis in Ukraine, where there is a threat of unrest spreading in the eastern […]
Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. (World Economic Forum.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt says he hopes Georgia will sign the Association Agreement with European Union in August. Bildt met with Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Ghrabishvili in Davos during the World Economic Forum and said afterward that […]
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 […]
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. (Official photo.) TBILISI, DFWatch–EU is willing to move forward the signing of the Association Agreement with Georgia and Moldova to August 2014 or earlier. This is the content of a statement by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, published December 20, 2013. “This […]
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili. (Video grab.) TBILISI, DFWatch–In his less than two minutes long address at the Eastern Partnership Vilnius Summit President Giorgi Margvelashvili spoke briefly about the country’s past, present and future on the way to Euro-Atlantic integration. After recalling the democratic election […]
Georgian foreign minister Maia Panjikidze (left) and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton sealing the agreement with a kiss. (Photo published on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–EU and Georgia on Friday finished the first signing of the Association Agreement. The proceedings took place in Vilnius during the summit there of the EU’s Eastern Partnership. The agreement was signed by the Union’s foreign policy spokesperson […]
Deputy Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaniani signing each of the one thousand pages. (Photo published on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The technical part of the initialization of Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU is finished, and tomorrow is the official part of the proceedings. Attending Thursday’s event in Vilnius were, from Georgia, Deputy Foreign Minister Davit […]
Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze said the Association Agreement will be signed in Vilnius November 29 at 09:00 am. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia will initialize its Association Agreement with the EU on November 29 as leaders of the EU and countries in the Eastern Partnership meet in Vilnius. Davit Zalkaliani, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, will initialize the agreement by signing […]
