Day: November 25, 2023

The European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the killing of Tamaz Ginturi and the abduction of Levan Dotiashvili by the Russian occupation troops in the occupied Tskhinvali region of Georgia. The resolution also reiterated support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and denounced Russia’s illegal occupation of Georgian territories. The resolution was adopted with 495 votes in favor, seven against, and 50 abstentions. The foreign ministry and political leaders, including the President and the Parliament Speaker, welcomed the adoption of the resolution.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili visited Azerbaijan at the invitation of the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliev, to attend the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). Addressing the SPECA meeting, PM Garibashvili spoke of the region’s growing transit and logistic potential, noting the regional projects such as “Middle Corridor,” the Black Sea submarine electricity cable, and the deep sea port of Anaklia. Irakli Garibashvili also emphasized the importance of Azerbaijan as a valuable neighbor and strategic partner of Georgia, praising bilateral relations between the countries. While in Baku, PM Garibashvili held a bilateral meeting with President Aliev.   

The Russian state media outlet NTV aired a video featuring what seems to be a staged “testimony” from two captive Georgian fighters, Giorgi Chubitidze and Giorgi Goglidze. In the video, Chubitidze claims that he was involved in the 2014 Maidan events as a “sniper” recruited “by former Georgian intelligence officers on behalf of Saakashvili.” Both Georgians show apparent signs of injury, strongly suggesting physical damage, possibly as a result of beatings. More than a week ago, reports emerged that Russian forces captured two Georgian fighters in Ukraine. The foreign ministry confirmed the Georgian nationality of the captured fighters.  

The Education Minister, Giorgi Amilakhvari, claimed that starting from January next year, the salary of full-time school teachers will increase by approximately GEL500, further noting that most of the increased education budget will be allocated to the substantial pay rise of public school teachers. “We believe that teachers deserve much higher salaries, and the current payroll system needs to be reviewed,” noted the minister precisely a year before the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Transparency International – Georgia, a local watchdog, revealed that out of 140 mine licenses, including some linked to current or former officials, 56 make political donations or participate in government tenders. According to TI Georgia, 25 companies and their affiliates have donated GEL 2,485,931 to political parties, mainly to the ruling Georgian Dream party. In addition, 26 licensed mining companies are involved in the state procurement process and have received contracts worth GEL 757,565,585.  

A Glimpse into the past – Lesson for the future

On 23^rd November, Georgia celebrated St. George’s Day, coinciding with the 20^th anniversary of the Rose Revolution. Though the legacy of the Rose Revolution remains hotly debated in Georgian society, it shifted the country’s image positively, leading to wide-ranging reforms and strengthening ties with the EU and NATO. Former leaders and key figures of the Rose Revolution recalled the 20 years-old events, saying it significantly transformed the post-soviet country into a modern democratic state, also admitting failures of the UNM rule.

The ruling Georgian Dream party views the Rose Revolution as a coup d’état, leading to Saakashvili’s reckless and authoritarian rule, gross human rights violations, and the Russia-Georgia war in 2008. As feelings are mixed and the legacy of the 20-year-old events complex, the lessons of recent history suggest that one-party rule over the years inevitably leads to excessive concentration of power. Whether Georgians have learned this lesson remains to be seen.