Day: December 5, 2023

On December 5, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Joshua Huck who is on a visit to Georgia.

According to the government administration press release, the parties “reviewed the agenda of the strategic partnership between Georgia and the United States of America, and discussed the steps to strengthen and deepen the existing cooperation in various fields.”

The positive recommendation of the European Commission to grant Georgia the status of an EU candidate country was noted. PM Garibashvili said that the country expects a positive decision of the European Council on Georgia’s EU candidacy noting that “EU integration is one of the main priorities of the foreign policy of the Georgian government.”

The parties also exchanged views on the issues of regional stability. “The Prime Minister stressed the importance of peaceful settlement of conflicts and the joint efforts against the backdrop of global challenges,” – reads the press release.

In addition, the meeting focused on the security and humanitarian conditions in the occupied territories of Georgia. The head of the government thanked Joshua Huck for the support of the U.S. for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as for support of Georgia’s European integration path.

According to the information, the U.S. Ambassador Robin Dunnigan, the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and the Head of the Government Administration Revaz Javelidze also attended the meeting.

“Deputy Assistant Secretary Josh Huck and Ambassador Dunnigan had a productive meeting with PM Irakli Garibashvili and FM Ilia Darchiashvili and discussed United States’ continued support for the U.S-Georgia strategic partnership and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory,” – the US Embassy tweeted.

Also Read:

• 24/11/2023 – PM Garibashvili Visits Azerbaijan
• 21/11/2023 – British Minister for Europe Visits Georgia
• 09/11/2023 – PM Garibashvili Meets French President Macron
• 25/10/2023 – PM Garibashvili Visits Brussels, Meets EU Commissioner Várhelyi
• 17/10/2023 – UPDATE: Newly Appointed U.S. Ambassador Meets Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker

On December 5, 14 members of the Zugdidi Council (Sakrebulo) from the opposition United National Movement (UNM) left the party amid the internal tensions and a rift between the current UNM leader, Levan Khabeishvili, and the ousted UNM chairman, Nika Melia. At a press briefing held on the same day, the former UNM Sakrebulo members expressed their dissatisfaction with the developments within the party, claiming that the party’s leadership “has made many mistakes.” In response, they announced their intention to form a new platform.

Maia Kalandia, a member of Sakrebulo and a long-time UNM member, emphasized their commitment to core democratic values and the ongoing struggle to free former President Mikheil Saakashvili from prison. Kalandia declared: “to this end, we are leaving the United National Movement party.”

This followed the departure from the UNM ranks on 4 December of Giorgi Kirtadze, a member of the UNM faction in the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, and several other members of the party’s Batumi office.

The move came in the same context of tensions over the party leadership. Kirtadze and others are believed to be aligning themselves with Nika Melia, who has repeatedly announced his intention to leave the party. During the briefing, Kirtadze reiterated the party’s continued commitment to bringing down Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime.

Levan Khabeishvili defeated the incumbent, Nika Melia to become the new leader of the opposition UNM party. The winner received 52.58% (21,656 votes), against Melia’s 40% (16,476 votes). The UNM held the election through an electronic voting system from January 28 to January 30. 

Shortly before the elections, Nika Melia, then leader of the UNM party, accused former Interior and Defense Ministers Vano Merabishvili and Davit Kezerashvili, of using “vicious, KGB-like methods” to unseat him and promote Khabeishvili. The party has since been in turmoil.

Also Read:

• 01/12/2023 – UNM: 20 New Members Join Political Council Amid Internal Turmoil
• 21/07/2023 – UNM, Strategy Agmashenebeli Strike Pre-Election Deal
• 06/02/2023 – New Chairman, Political Council, Secretary General Endorsed at UNM Congress

In the midst of the “Our Voice to Europe” signature campaign, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who regularly holds meetings with various public figures, was denied permission by several Georgian state universities to give a lecture on EU integration and to use the space inside the universities to collect signatures for the campaign.

The “Our Voice to Europe” petition campaign appeals to the European leaders to grant Georgia candidate status in December. The campaign was launched by the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, on November 8, following the European Commission’s positive recommendation to grant the EU candidate status for Georgia.

• 08/11/2023 – European Commission Recommends EU Candidacy for Georgia

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University 

On October 27, the President’s Administration addressed the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) with the letter, asking to provide venue for President Salome Zurabishvili’s public lecture on November 3, “on the vital importance of Georgia’s European choice and the enormous future opportunities that the success of the country’s EU integration process will bring,” – reads the letter that Civil.ge was provided with by the President’s Administration. 

The President’s Office also told Civil.ge that the TSU had not sent the official response to the President’s Office. However, the President’s Office was informally told that the venue for the lecture could not be found due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system. The university did not offer an alternative date for the lecture.

On November 30 the President expressed her concern over the fact that “there is some kind of indifference towards this matter of overwhelming national consensus.” 

The President also said that the rector of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) refused to allow students to use the university premises for the signature campaign. President Zurabishvili expressed her frustration, saying, “If you read this letter, [you see] there is nothing more simple and non-political, and the rector refuses, [saying] that it is not allowed to hold such a supposedly political event inside [the university building].” 

Following the rector’s refusal, a desk was set up at the entrance to the university for people to sign the letter. Asked if her campaign was being obstructed by the Government, Zurabishvili, told the journalists that “no one will be able to obstruct the people’s campaign…no one will be able to stop the will of the people.”

Jaba Samushia, the rector of the Tbilisi State University, commented to Interpressnews that the university had not received any official letter from the President’s Administration requesting the provision of space for the signature campaign. “I want to say that if this was the continuation of that initiative that she [the President] is leading at the Orbeliani Palace, then it is the rule that the President’s Administration must send at least a sheet of paper to the autonomous university,” – said Samushia. 

Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University

Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University also reportedly rejected President Zurabishvili’s request to give a lecture on EU integration. 

Speaking to journalists, Shalva Kirtadze, the rector of Kutaisi State University, cited the ongoing exam period. According to Kirtadze, during this time, “there are no lectures, students do not attend and children come only for exams and then they go back home to study”. He emphasized that “this is not a desirable period to hold such an event.” Kirtadze further clarified that the university would have taken the same position with any other official, including the Prime Minister, if they had requested to organize an event during the exam period. 

Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State University 

In addition to the two above-mentioned universities, it was also reported by the local media, that Zurabishvili was also rejected to give a public lecture regarding the EU integration by the Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State University. Niko Managadze, the founder of the student movement “Tavisuflebistvis” [For Freedom], made a statement regarding this matter on the Mtavari TV program “Dghis Stumari” [Guest of the Day]. According to him, together with the Tbilisi State University and the Kutaisi State University, it was also the Zugdidi State University, which refused to allow Zurabishvili to hold the lecture and provide her with space for the signature campaign.

On December 5, the Chairman of the ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze begins a four-day visit to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The visit comes amidst an apparent divergence of opinions over the European Union’s enlargement process and against the background of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s recently statement that “There is no place for it on the agenda of the December EUCO!”.

Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s sent a letter to European Council President Charles Michel demanding a review of the EU’s policy on Ukraine, and threatening to use Hungary’s veto power to block the disbursement of a planned €50 billion in aid to Ukraine, disrupting the bloc’s steadfast support for Kyiv. Experts suggest that Orbán’s opposition goes beyond Ukraine and threatens the entire enlargement package, which could also jeopardize Georgia’s candidacy.

The delegation, led by Kobakhidze, comprises First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Gia Volski, Chairman of the European Integration Committee Maka Bochorishvili, and parliamentary majority member Irakli Mezurnishvili.

The Georgian delegation will meet with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semien, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly János Latorcai, Chairwoman of the Committee on European Union Affairs Judith Vargas, and Minister of EU Affairs János Bóka.

More to follow …

An emergency medical team had to be mobilized on the second day of teachers’ hunger strike in front of the Ministry of Education. The teacher, Maia Ekaladze, developed health complications after taking the strictest measure of peaceful protest with her colleagues and spending the night in front of the ministry. She demands that the ministry admit that the selection process for school principals was unfair and that the positions were allocated selectively.

Yesterday, December 4, after six months of waiting, the teachers finally met with the Minister of Education, Giorgi Amilakhvari. Maia Ekaladze and her colleague Davit Peradze spoke for two hours with the minister and his deputies Tamar Makharashvili and Gela Geladze. According to the teachers, the meeting failed to address any of the teachers’ concerns and the protesters have decided to continue their hunger strike.

The process of appointing public school principals in Georgia consists of 3 stages. In the first stage, the eligible candidates undergo a written examination process. Candidates who score at least the minimum number of points required to pass the threshold, then have to pass the oral examination stage – interviews conducted by the representative committee of the Ministry of Education. The interviews are recorded in official minutes. The successful candidates are later presented to the Board of Trustees of a public school, which selects the most suitable candidate.

Concerns over principal-selection process

The teachers have claimed recently that the process of selecting public school principals is politically motivated and that many qualified candidates are being “blocked” because of their political affiliations. The protestors say they have not been able to hold proper discussions with the Ministry. Prior to yesterday’s meeting, the only time the Ministry representative, Deputy Education Minister, Tamar Makharashvili met with the teachers was on November 22, but according to the teachers, she didn’t answer any of their questions.

After the June announcement of the interview results for principal’ certification, participants who felt unfairly rejected began their protests in front of the Ministry. Around 160 applicants didn’t pass the interview. 26 candidates have challenged the decision in court, asking for the results to be annulled and for the interview process to be repeated. Their interests are being represented in court by the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED).

According to ISFED’s October 17 statement, the organization conducted an analysis of the minutes taken during the selection process. The analysis revealed key problems in the process: “In some cases the minutes of the interview were signed by the member of the commission who was not present at the interview of the candidate. The length of the interview and the questions asked indicated the formality of the interview, in most cases the process lasted 10 minutes, which did not allow for a full assessment of the candidates”.

Another prominent human rights watchdog, Transparency International – Georgia points to another problematic habit of the Ministry of Education which presents only one candidate who have passed the oral examination stage to the Board of Trustees of most of the public schools. The organization spoke to several former and aspiring principals who were rejected after the interviews. All of them believe that the process is politicized and that the political attitudes of themselves or their family members were decisive in the nomination of candidates.

A 2022 study by TI – Georgia has revealed political discrimination against public school principals in Georgia. The ruling party and the State Security Service likely compiled dossiers on them and conducted personnel policies based on this information. From 2020 to 2021, the Ministry of Education and Science did not appoint at least 112 principals as acting principals. According to TI the evaluations of the State Security Service and the ruling party were decisive in dismissing the principals, “which is an illegal and unacceptable practice”.

The Minister of Education claims that the issues raised by the teachers are part of a disinformation campaign against the Ministry with the aim of “damaging the important reforms we have begun in the education system”. He alleges that in 92% of schools, the board of trustees selected the principal on the basis of fair competition. In only 8% of the schools, the board didn’t appoint anyone.

Notably, during the meeting with the Education Minister on November 4, teachers were promised that in schools, which are still governed by acting principals, the Minister would consider using his discretionary powers and the directly appoint the principles. In addition, the Ministry is considering organizing an additional stage of the competition in these schools.

In his speech, however, the minister questioned why he was being asked to use his discretionary powers. “Why should we use it? The qualified committee has made its decision,” Amilakhvari said after the meeting. He also noted that if the teachers had questions about why their candidature had been rejected, they should seek answers in court.

The teachers have also been directly accused of political motives. According to Davit Peradze and Maya Ekaladze, at the meeting the Minister pointed to the politicization of the protesting teachers and asked if someone was behind them. The teachers find this attitude offensive and say they are ready to discuss their demands publicly in any format and with any audience.

The pernicious and long-standing practice of politically motivated appointments of school principals was once again at the center of protests in October in Chkhorotsku, Kirtskhi and Akhuti in the Samegrelo region, as students and teachers protested against what they saw as the Ministry of Education’s politically motivated nomination of candidates for the posts of school principals in nearly 927 Georgian schools.

The issue of teacher salaries

On November 3, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced that according to the revised draft-annual budget, the Ministry of Education will receive 160 million GEL to increase the salaries of full-time teachers by about 500 GEL. On November 24, the Minister of Education issued a statement saying that the salary increase would be implemented from July 2024.

Teachers who initially demanded salary increase in January 2024, during the meeting with the Ministry representatives, agreed to the increase in July next year, but the issue of the principal selection process is still on the table.

Also Read:

• 22/10/2023 – Whither Democratic Schools?