Giorgi Kvirikashvili

Georgia’s former PM joins EBRD as consultant

By | September 25th, 2018|Categories: In brief|Tags: |

Giorgi Kvirikashvili, former Georgian prime minister. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia’s former prime minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has embarked on a  new job as a consultant at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The contract which was signed ‘a few weeks’ ago one of the former PM’s responsibilities will be offering advice to Uzbekistan’s government [...]

Georgian PM Kvirikashvili stricken from GD political council member list

By | July 6th, 2018|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

Former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has mysteriously been removed from the political council of Georgia’s ruling party. As PM, Kvirikashvili had a leading role in the advisory body of the ruling party. But he resigned his position abruptly on June 13, […]

Georgian PM Kvirikashvili resigns, citing disagreement with Ivanishvili

By | June 13th, 2018|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili resigned on Wednesday, citing disagreement with the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili. According to the Constitution, the PM’s resignation also means that the entire government resigns. […]

The moment Georgia’s PM told the opposition leader ‘f— you’

By | December 21st, 2017|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili. TBILISI, DFWatch–PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili swore several times at his counterpart during a debate with the acting head of the largest opposition party UNM on Wednesday. […]

Abkhazia calls Georgian PM’s language initiative ‘hypocritical’

By | November 1st, 2017|Categories: News|Tags: , |

PM Kvirikashvili’s initiative to protect Abkhaz language was met with a cold shoulder by the separatists in Sokhumi. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–An initiative by the prime minister of Georgia to protect the Abkhaz language has been rejected by Abkhazia’s de facto authorities as ‘Georgian populism’, ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘cynicism’. […]

Georgian authorities deny involvement in abduction of Azerbaijani journalist

By | June 1st, 2017|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s head of government Thursday denied that his country’s authorities had been involved when a journalist was abducted three days earlier in Tbilisi and delivered into the hands of Azerbaijani police for criminal prosecution. […]

PM Kvirikashvili blames ‘destructive political forces’ for Batumi riot

By | March 12th, 2017|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Sporadic rioting continued into the night in Batumi, a port city on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. (Batumelebi.) TBILISI, DFWatch–“A common incident has been utilized by destructive political forces to escalate the situation,” Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated at an emergency briefing at about 5 am on Sunday appealing the crowd in Batumi to calm down. “Unfortunately, those forces […]

Georgian PM proposes creating new media ombudsman post

By | March 6th, 2017|Categories: Media|Tags: , , |

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s prime minister proposes creating an office of media ombudsman. The PM’s proposal comes at the same time as the situation surrounding a lawsuit about the country’s most popular TV company remains in a deadlock. After a meeting with PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili […]

First road, now airport – PM promises to develop mountain region Tusheti

By | October 28th, 2016|Categories: Economy|Tags: , |

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili visiting Tusheti in August. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Two months after promising to build a new road to Tusheti, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili now suggests building an air strip in the inaccessible region in the northeast of the country. It’s an attractive tourist destination, but difficult to access. […]

One of Tbilisi’s oldest streets reopens after facelift

By | September 26th, 2016|Categories: Society|Tags: , , |

(DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The pedestrian zone of Aghmashenebeli Avenue in Tbilisi opened on Sunday after several months of renovation work. The facelift of one of the oldest streets in the Georgian capital was financed by the local government and Tbilisi Development Foundation. Tbilisi City Hall decided to refurbish […]

Georgian PM declares support for Turkey after wedding terror blast

By | August 22nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , |

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The head of government in Georgia on Sunday in a written statement expressed concern about the recent terrorist attack in Turkey and voiced support for the people of Turkey. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says in the statement […]

PM slams back at outgoing defense minister

By | August 2nd, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , |

Tbilisi, DFWatch - Comments of outgoing Defense Minister, who criticized appointment of Security Service official in her vacant seat, triggered an angry response from the Prime Minister and a member of government. "(Their) comments were very inappropriate, unfortunately. I am sure that after Batoni Davit and Kalbatoni Tina overcome emotions, they will make different comments,” said [...]

Georgian PM extends condolences to Yıldırım, confirms Turkey trip

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

TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili spoke by phone with his Turkish colleague Binali Yıldırım on Monday, and both confirmed that Kvirikashvili will visit Ankara for the first session of the Georgia-Turkey strategic partnership council on July 19. […]

Road building to be accelerated, says Georgian PM

By | February 24th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili promises that the motorway through Georgia currently under construction will be completed by 2020. The transit road east-west through Georgia, connecting the border with Azerbaijan with the Turkish […]

Ryanair interested in entering Georgian market

By | February 19th, 2016|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Irish budget airline Ryanair is interested in entering the Georgian market. The news comes a few days after another budget airline, Wizz Air, announced its new routes out of Kutaisi. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili met Thursday […]

President supports Kvirikashvili as new PM and asks parliament for approval

By | December 26th, 2015|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

President Giorgi Margvelashvili supports Giorgi Kvirikashvili (inset) as new prime minister. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–President Giorgi Margvelashvili Friday supported the ruling coalition’s nominee, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, as candidate for new prime minister and asked parliament to approve him. The president’s administration supported Kvirikashvili’s candidacy […]

Giorgi Kvirikashvili named as candidate for PM

By | December 25th, 2015|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Channel 1.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Dream coalition has agreed on Giorgi Kvirikashvili as their candidate for new prime minister, as replacement for Irakli Garibashvili, who resigned Wednesday evening. Kvirikashvili is former vice prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. […]

GD coalition to discuss new PM at session Friday

By | December 23rd, 2015|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , , , |

Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The candidate for new prime minister will be discussed at a session of the Georgian Dream coalition on Friday, the speaker of parliament said Wednesday evening after the PM announced his resignation. Speaker Davit Usupashvili […]

Georgian government preparing almost USD 300 million budget cuts

By | May 18th, 2015|Categories: Economy|Tags: , , |

Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia is preparing to drastically cut the state budget to deal with a 30 percent reduction in value of the national currency. Presenting the plans Monday, members of the ruling coalition said the budget will be cut by 500 […]

Economy minister admits life has gotten tougher for Georgians

By | May 8th, 2015|Categories: News|Tags: , |

Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The economy minister in Georgia has finally admitted that people’s conditions have worsened in recent weeks and months. But Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili follows his predecessor and godfather of this government in blaming the devaluation […]

Georgia wants to be a springboard for Chinese trade with Europe

By | March 23rd, 2015|Categories: Economy|Tags: , |

Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia wants to use its free trade access to the EU to become a springboard for Chinese trade with Europe. Last year, Georgia signed an association agreement with the EU. Included was what’s called a deep and comprehensive free […]

Georgian government’s economy experts gather as lari continues to fall

By | February 20th, 2015|Categories: Economy|Tags: , , |

Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili believes the situation will improve in the near future. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–As the Georgian lari reached a new record low, the Georgian government’s “economy team” gathered to come up with a plan to save the country’s economy. The US dollar is valued at 2.1771 laris in the most recent figures from the National Bank […]

Georgia hopes to keep its free trade with Russia

By | July 7th, 2014|Categories: Economy, News|Tags: , , |

“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 […]

Georgia creates service center to assist exporters

By | March 21st, 2014|Categories: Economy, News|Tags: , |

Grape harvest 2013. Wine if one of Georgia’s export products. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Ministry of Economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili is creating a new service center to protect the interests of exporters. Kvirikashvili said on Thursday said that the new body will start working from Friday. “Along with positive trends in Georgia’s foreign trade turnover, […]

Georgia’s economy is on the right track, says economy minister

By | September 21st, 2013|Categories: Economy, News|Tags: , |

Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s economy is growing and will grow faster after the presidential election, the country’s economy minister said before the opening of a business forum on Friday. Saakashvili’s party, the National Movement, has frequently criticized the […]

Economy minister and UNM candidate cancel meeting

By | August 15th, 2013|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the UNM’s call for a crisis meeting was election PR. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A planned meeting between two top people in the main political blocs in Georgia has been scuttled by a disparaging remark by one of the sides. Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili from the Georgian Dream coalition, and Davit Bakradze, the National […]

Two ships with Georgian crew in trouble off Croatia and Algeria

By | August 10th, 2013|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Economy Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Five Georgian sailors are stuck on a ship in Croatian waters. Seven other Georgians are stuck on another ship off the Algerian coast. The sailors haven’t been paid salary for months and cannot return to Georgia. Owner of both ships is a Slovenian company which […]