TBILISI, September 22 – The European People’s Party (EPP) has called for the release of Georgian opposition politician Giorgi Baramidze, who was jailed earlier this month over comments he made about the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia. The case has yet to go to trial. In a statement, the European political party expressed concern about Baramidze’s … Read more
TBILISI, September 20 – Georgian PM Irakli Kobakhidze will address the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, during a visit that will also include meetings with foreign leaders and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The Georgian government announced Sunday that Kobakhidze would take part in the General Debate at the UN General Assembly’s … Read more
TBILISI, September 19 – Three former senior Georgian officials have testified in the criminal trial of exiled former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia over a police checkpoint near the breakaway South Ossetia region. Prosecutors claimed the testimony confirmed that Gakharia acted without consulting the three. The hearing took place behind closed doors at Tbilisi City Court … Read more
TBILISI, September 6 – Prosecutors in Georgia have reopened the case of an assumed suicide of a political activist, after new claims by jailed former prime minister Irakli Garibashvili. In a letter from prison this week, Garibashvili asked what the real cause of Lazare Jorbenadze’s death had been and said unanswered questions remained around several … Read more
TBILISI, August 4 – Georgia’s ruling party is preparing possible new legislation to protect “national identity”, a move supporters say is needed to defend traditional values and critics warn could deepen social divisions. The Georgian Dream initiative follows the creation of several groups in recent days claiming to defend Georgian identity, national unity, traditions and … Read more
TBILISI, June 28 – A major scuffle in Georgia’s parliament on Friday began after an opposition MP mocked Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s political standing, according to a detailed reconstruction published by Rezonansi. DFWatch has already reported that MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition Gakharia for Georgia clashed physically during the final … Read more
TBILISI, June 27 – Former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia said Saturday that being in the opposition in Georgia has become a physical safety risk, after a confrontation in parliament on Friday left one of his party colleagues needing medical assistance. The incident took place during a tense political session in parliament, where Prime Minister Irakli … Read more
TBILISI, May 26 – Georgia’s leaders used Independence Day to highlight the importance of sovereignty. The main ceremony was held on Freedom Square in central Tbilisi, where President Mikheil Kavelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, cabinet members and MPs attended. Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III and other clergy were also present, along with diplomats, … Read more
TBILISI, May 25 – Georgia’s government is again talking about possible pardons for people detained during anti-government protests. But its condition has not changed: prisoners must admit guilt and show remorse first. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Monday that the government had already made its position public and had also shared it several times with … Read more
TBILISI, May 22 – Georgia’s parliament speaker launched new attacks on German Ambassador Peter Fischer on Friday, accusing him of damaging relations between Germany and Georgia. Shalva Papuashvili, one of the top figures in the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, said Fischer had mocked Georgians with his comments about the “deep state,” a term increasingly … Read more