Meanwhile, Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has threatened to crack down on the demonstrators — announcing plans to create a database of those he says are “involved in violence, illegal activities, intimidation and blackmail or approve of such behavior.” The database would be published online to name and shame those accused of transgressions. Critics see it … Read more
While Ivanishvili devoted his speech to calling out the enemies attacking Georgia, he didn’t namecheck Russia, even though Moscow occupies 20 percent of Georgian territories, backing local proxies in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He also vowed that the United National Movement, Georgia’s largest bloc of opposition MPs, would face “harsh political … Read more
Escalation violates standards Despite the criticism, Georgian Dream has insisted the new rules are needed to protect the country’s sovereignty. Parliamentarians are expected to vote in favor of the bill at a second reading Wednesday. In a bombastic speech at a rally outside the parliament on Monday night, prominent oligarch and former Prime Minister Bidzina … Read more
Georgian Dream seeks a fourth consecutive victory in the parliamentary ballot, but Ivanishvili said his latest comeback did not aim principally to strengthen the party going into the election. Instead, he said, he wanted to protect the party’s leadership from possible corruption and internal rifts. Key election for Georgia’s EU bid Georgia became an EU … Read more
