News Digest on Georgia
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News Digest on Georgia
NEWS DIGEST ON GEORGIA November 28 – December 1 Compiled by: Aleksandre Davitashvili Date: December 2, 2019 Occupied Regions Tskhinvali Region (so called South Ossetia) 1. Another Georgian Sent to Pretrial Custody in Occupied Tskhinvali Georgian citizen Genadi Bestaev, 51, was illegally detained by the „security committee‟ (KGB) of Russia- backed Tskhinvali Region across the line of occupation, near Khelchua village, for “illegally crossing the state border” and “illegal drug smuggling” today. According to the local agency “Res,” Tskhinvali court sentenced Bestaev, native of village Zardiantkari of Gori Municipality, to two-month pretrial custody. According to the same report, in the past, Bastaev was detained by Russia-backed Tskhinvali authorities for “similar offences” multiple times (Civil.ge, November 29, 2019). Foreign Affairs 2. Citizens of Switzerland can enter Georgia with an ID card Citizens of Switzerland can enter Georgia with an ID card, Georgian PM has already signed an official document. „Citizens of Switzerland can enter Georgia on the basis of a travel document, as well as an identity document showing a person‟s name, surname, date of birth and photo,‟ the official document reads. The resolution dated by November 28, 2019, is already in force (1TV, December 1, 2019). Internal Affairs 3. Members of European Parliament on Developments in Georgia On November 27, the European Parliament held a debate on developments in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries at its plenary session in Strasbourg. Kati Piri (Netherlands, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats): “Large protests are currently held in Tbilisi since the government failed to deliver on its commitment to change the electoral code in 2020 to full proportional system. -
Survey on Political Attitudes August 2020 Demographics 1. There Are A
Survey on Political Attitudes August 2020 Demographics 1. There are a number of ethnic groups living in Georgia. Which ethnic group do you consider yourself a part of? [Interviewer! Do not read. One answer only.] Armenian 1 Azerbaijani 2 Georgian 3 Other Caucasian ethnicity (Abkhazian, Lezgin, Ossetian, etc.) 4 Russian 5 Kurd or Yezidi 6 Other ethnicity 7 (Don’t know) -1 (Refuse to answer) -2 2. What is the highest level of education you have achieved to date? [Interviewer! Do not read. Correspond.] 1 Did not obtain a nine year diploma 2 Nine year diploma 3 High school diploma (11 or 12 years) 4 Vocational/technical degree 5 Bachelor’s degree/5 years diploma 6 Any degree above bachelor’s (Don’t know) -1 (Refuse to answer) -2 3. Which of the following best describes your situation? Please tell me about the activity that you consider to be primary. [Interviewer! Read out. Only one answer that corresponds with the respondent’s main activity.] I am retired and do not work 1 I am a student and do not work 2 I am a housewife and do not work 3 I am unemployed 4 I work full or part-time, including seasonal 5 jobs I am self-employed, including seasonal jobs 6 I am disabled and cannot work 7 Other 8 (Don’t know) -1 (Refuse to answer) -2 4. How often do you use the Internet? Do you use the Internet … [READ OUT] Every day, 1 At least once a week, 2 At least once a month, 3 Less often, 4 or Never? 5 [DO NOT READ] I don’t know what the Internet is. -
Analyzing the Russian Way of War Evidence from the 2008 Conflict with Georgia
Analyzing the Russian Way of War Evidence from the 2008 Conflict with Georgia Lionel Beehner A Contemporary Battlefield Assessment Liam Collins by the Modern War Institute Steve Ferenzi Robert Person Aaron Brantly March 20, 2018 Analyzing the Russian Way of War: Evidence from the 2008 Conflict with Georgia Contents Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 9 Chapter I – History of Bad Blood ................................................................................................................ 13 Rose-Colored Glasses .............................................................................................................................. 16 Chapter II – Russian Grand Strategy in Context of the 2008 Russia-Georgia War ................................... 21 Russia’s Ends ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Russia’s Means ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Russia’s Ways ......................................................................................................................................... -
Revolutionary Tactics: Insights from Police and Justice Reform in Georgia
TRANSITIONS FORUM | CASE STUDY | JUNE 2014 Revolutionary Tactics: Insights from Police and Justice Reform in Georgia by Peter Pomerantsev with Geoffrey Robertson, Jovan Ratković and Anne Applebaum www.li.com www.prosperity.com ABOUT THE LEGATUM INSTITUTE Based in London, the Legatum Institute (LI) is an independent non-partisan public policy organisation whose research, publications, and programmes advance ideas and policies in support of free and prosperous societies around the world. LI’s signature annual publication is the Legatum Prosperity Index™, a unique global assessment of national prosperity based on both wealth and wellbeing. LI is the co-publisher of Democracy Lab, a journalistic joint-venture with Foreign Policy Magazine dedicated to covering political and economic transitions around the world. www.li.com www.prosperity.com http://democracylab.foreignpolicy.com TRANSITIONS FORUM CONTENTS Introduction 3 Background 4 Tactics for Revolutionary Change: Police Reform 6 Jovan Ratković: A Serbian Perspective on Georgia’s Police Reforms Justice: A Botched Reform? 10 Jovan Ratković: The Serbian Experience of Justice Reform Geoffrey Robertson: Judicial Reform The Downsides of Revolutionary Maximalism 13 1 Truth and Reconciliation Jovan Ratković: How Serbia Has Been Coming to Terms with the Past Geoffrey Robertson: Dealing with the Past 2 The Need to Foster an Opposition Jovan Ratković: The Serbian Experience of Fostering a Healthy Opposition Russia and the West: Geopolitical Direction and Domestic Reforms 18 What Georgia Means: for Ukraine and Beyond 20 References 21 About the Author and Contributors 24 About the Legatum Institute inside front cover Legatum Prosperity IndexTM Country Factsheet 2013 25 TRANSITIONS forum | 2 TRANSITIONS FORUM The reforms carried out in Georgia after the Rose Revolution of 2004 were Introduction among the most radical ever attempted in the post-Soviet world, and probably the most controversial. -
Final Report of Monitoring the 2017 Local Self-Government Elections
FINAL REPORT OF MONITORING THE 2017 LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR FAIR ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRACY (ISFED) 2018 Tbilisi FINAL REPORT OF MONITORING THE 2017 LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS REPORT PREPARED BY MIKHEIL BENIDZE TAMAR BARTAIA ELENE NIZHARADZE NINO RIZHAMADZE TATIA KINKLADZE DESIGNED BY: TEMO MACHAVARIANI ISFED election observation mission was made possible with the generous support from the American people, through the financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The mission was supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Contribution for observation of the runoff elections also came from the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy and may not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government, the Federal Republic of Germany, British Embassy, or NED. 2 CONTENT I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 II. ABOUT THE MONITORING MISSION 6 III. POLITICAL CONTEXT AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS 8 IV. THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND LEGISLATIVE CHANGES 10 V. THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 12 VI. STATE AUDIT OFFICE 14 VII. THE INTER-AGENCY COMMISSION FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS 15 VIII. PRE-ELECTION PERIOD 16 IX. MEDIA ENVIRONMENT 19 X. THE ELECTION DAY 20 XI. POST ELECTION PERIOD AND COMPLAINTS PROCESS 27 XII. RECOMMENDATIONS 33 XIII. METHODOLOGY 36 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ICT Information -
Policy P Aper Series
saqarTvelos strategiisa da saerTaSoriso urTierTobebis kvlevis fondi sajaro politikis dokumentebi POLICY SERIES PAPER Mentors: Ekaterine Metreveli Vladimer Papava Aleksandre Kvakhadze Editor: Rusudan Margishvili Technical Editor: Artem Melik-Nubarov All rights reserved and belong to Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, including electronic and mechanical, without the prior written permission of the publisher Copyright © 2020 Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies ABOUT THE PROJECT The Policy Paper Series include policy documents developed within the framework of the project - National Minorities in Political Processes – Engagement for Better Future. The papers were elaborated by the young representatives of political parties, for whom it was the first attempt to work on an analytical document. The papers address the challenges and solutions for the ethnic minorities engagement in the political, economic or social life of Georgia. The project was implemented by the Rondel Foundation with the support and active participation of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (OSCE HCNM). The project aims to increase the political and social inclusion of ethnic minorities and to facilitate healthy policy debate on the issues of national minorities among the political parties, thus overall contributes to the good governance practices. Within the framework of the multi-component project, members of Tbilisi-based political party youth organizations, young people living in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli and active representatives of the local community attended various thematic seminars. The project also included thematic meetings of representatives of political parties and government agencies with the representatives of national minorities, the preparation of TV programs, and internships for young people representing ethnic minorities in political parties. -
Covid-19, Saakashvili and Elections
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 The Messenger P3 “Impartial, Informative, Insightful” GEL 3.00 The #171 (4728) Messenger WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 WWW.MESSENGER.COM.GE Facebook political ad spending in Georgia Facebook political advertising library was launched in Georgia on August 7. BY NATALIA KOCHIASHVILI ber parliamentary elections. According to of political parties that advertise on do not provide the required information, the report most political parties, leaders Facebook. It was followed by European even though the administrator of the acebook Ad Library became available and majoritarian candidates have suffi- Georgia – $30,782 of which about 52% pages may be connected to the party Fin Georgia on 7th of August, intro- ciently met the newly imposed criteria came from ads on the party’s Facebook members. For example, Davit Dugladze, ducing a new set of requirements for po- for political ads. ISFED says that there page and the rest from the party leaders’ who posts on ‘Support Zaza Dugladze’ and litical actors. The advertiser has to un- are certain parties that have yet to ad- official websites; Lelo – $21,747; Ruling ‘41 is my choice’ is the brother of a GD dergo an authorization process, declaring equately declare their information and Georgian Dream – $20,421; United Na- majoritarian candidate Zaza Dugladze. their identity and providing a “Paid for smear campaigns by anonymous tional Movement – $6,678 and Alliance The watchdog also identified 11 anony- by” disclaimer. Facebook pages are still common. of Patriots – $4,663. mous pages that sponsor posts aimed A local watchdog, International Soci- Political ads are not advertised by ISFED named parties that posted un- mostly at discrediting opposition parties. -
Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Georgia Today*
Religion, State & Society, Vol. 30, No. 3, 2002 Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Georgia Today* MICHAEL OCHS Introduction Throughout the former Soviet Union, local religious establishments have strongly disapproved of preaching by representatives of religions considered 'nontraditional'. Religious leaders have prevailed upon politicians to limit the activities of such groups while enhancing the privileged role of the leading local faith. The Georgian Orthodox Church has also warned about the harmful impact of non traditional religions and sought a special status, but parliament has not passed a law on religion. Nor is Georgian Orthodoxy or its special status specifically protected in the constitution. On the other hand, Georgia is the only country in Eurasia where officially-condoned, organised mob violence against adherents of nontraditional faiths has developed into an ongoing problem. Jehovah's Witnesses have been the primary, though not the exclusive, target of this campaign. The country's political leadership is aware of the issue and of the concern expressed in foreign capitals as well as by Georgian and international human rights organisations. President Eduard Shevardnadze has openly condemned the attacks and pledged to uphold the rule of law, safeguard the rights of all believers and prosecute those who persecute them. Nevertheless, the Georgian authorities have been unable or unwilling to take effective steps to deter individuals and groups from assaulting Jehovah's Witnesses. Violence against them has continued since 1999, with no serious action taken against the perpetrators. Convinced that the Georgian authorities are not prepared to implement their inter national commitments and protect members of religious minorities, Jehovah's Wit nesses have filed two applications with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. -
Parliament of Georgia in 2019
Assessment of the Performance of the Parliament of Georgia in 2019 TBILISI, 2020 Head of Research: Lika Sajaia Lead researcher: Tamar Tatanashvili Researcher: Gigi Chikhladze George Topouria We would like to thank the interns of Transparency International of Georgia for participating in the research: Marita Gorgoladze, Guri Baliashvili, Giorgi Shukvani, Mariam Modebadze. The report was prepared with the financial assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway Contents Research Methodology __________________________________________________ 8 Chapter 1. Main Findings _________________________________________________ 9 Chapter 2. General Information about the Parliament ____________________ 12 Chapter 3. General Statistics ____________________________________________ 14 Chapter 4. Important events ______________________________________________ 16 4.1 Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (chaired by Russian Duma Deputy Gavrilov) and a wave of protests _________________________________ 16 4.2 Failure of the proportional election system __________________________ 17 4.3 Election of Supreme Court judges ____________________________________ 19 4.4 Abolishing Nikanor Melia’s immunity and terminating his parliamentary mandate ________________________________________________________________ 20 4.5 Changes in the Composition of Parliamentary Subjects _______________ 20 4.6 Vote of Confidence in the Government _____________________________ 21 4.7 Report of the President ______________________________________________ 21 Chapter -
The Messenger P3
MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020 The Messenger P3 “Impartial, Informative, Insightful” GEL 3.00 The #114 (4671) Messenger MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020 WWW.MESSENGER.COM.GE Opposition: First Rurua, then voting Opposition says that they won’t participate in the voting unless Rurua is released from prison. BY NIKA GAMTSEMLIDZE elections. Initially, the ruling party had ruling party and representatives of the finally decide the way the elections should promised the people of the country and opposition have been meeting for several be held. s the Elections of 2020 are coming its international partners that the 2020 months to come up with ideas and plans However, the opposition says that not Acloser, the government of Georgia is elections would have been held in a pro- for this election. all parts of the agreement have been ful- trying to adopt the electoral amendments, portional manner, with no threshold. Finally, with the help of the country’s filled and that Rurua still is in jail. The which will decide the fate of this year’s However, the amendments were not international partners, the decision was Parliament of Georgia will vote on the supported by the ruling party represen- made. Now, the parliament needs to vote tatives, after which, the members of the for the amendments for the third time to CONTINUED ON Page 2 Politics A regional organization of the party, Lelo for Georgia, has been established in Khashuri FULL STORY ON Page 2 Economics 6-year anniversary of EU-Georgia Association Agreement AA officially came into force in 2014 FULL STORY ON Page 3 Giorgi Rurua’s trial is scheduled for June 29th, at 11:00 p.m. -
Escaping the Kmara Box: Reframing the Role of Civil Society in Georgia's Rose Revolution Angley, Robyn E
www.ssoar.info Escaping the Kmara Box: Reframing the Role of Civil Society in Georgia's Rose Revolution Angley, Robyn E. Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Angley, R. E. (2013). Escaping the Kmara Box: Reframing the Role of Civil Society in Georgia's Rose Revolution. Studies of Transition States and Societies, 5(1), 42-57. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-362472 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine This document is made available under Deposit Licence (No Weiterverbreitung - keine Bearbeitung) zur Verfügung gestellt. Redistribution - no modifications). We grant a non-exclusive, non- Gewährt wird ein nicht exklusives, nicht übertragbares, transferable, individual and limited right to using this document. persönliches und beschränktes Recht auf Nutzung dieses This document is solely intended for your personal, non- Dokuments. Dieses Dokument ist ausschließlich für commercial use. All of the copies of this documents must retain den persönlichen, nicht-kommerziellen Gebrauch bestimmt. all copyright information and other information regarding legal Auf sämtlichen Kopien dieses Dokuments müssen alle protection. You are not allowed to alter this document in any Urheberrechtshinweise und sonstigen Hinweise auf gesetzlichen way, to copy it for public or commercial purposes, to exhibit the Schutz beibehalten werden. Sie dürfen dieses Dokument document in public, to perform, distribute or otherwise use the nicht in irgendeiner Weise abändern, noch dürfen Sie document in public. dieses Dokument für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke By using this particular document, you accept the above-stated vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, aufführen, vertreiben oder conditions of use. anderweitig nutzen. -
Parliamentary Assembly Assemblée Parlementaire
Parliamentary Assembly Assemblée parlementaire http://assembly.coe.int Doc. 13068 29 November 2012 Observation of the parliamentary elections in Georgia (1 October 2012) Election observation report Ad hoc Committee of the Bureau Rapporteur: Mr Luca VOLONTÈ, Italy, Group of the European People's Party Contents Page 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 2. Political context ....................................................................................................................................... 2 3. Legal context........................................................................................................................................... 3 4. Election system....................................................................................................................................... 5 5. Candidate and voter registration............................................................................................................. 5 6. Election administration............................................................................................................................ 6 7. Election campaign and the media........................................................................................................... 7 8. Election day, vote count and results ....................................................................................................... 9 9. Conclusions .........................................................................................................................................