President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned Giorgi Shanidze, an activist against the Foreign Agents Law, days after the court sentenced him to four years in prison. Shanidze was arrested in May during protests against the Foreign Agents Law and later convicted on charges of damaging surveillance cameras and growing cannabis. His supporters saw the sentence as an “exemplary, demonstrative punishment.”
The Voice of America (VoA) Georgian service reported that the U.S. State Department and U.S. Treasury are preparing a package of sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, citing “high-level officials” of the U.S. government.
Speaking with the journalists after the meeting with local election watchdog ISFED, EU Ambassador to Georgia Paweł Herczyński reiterated the importance of “free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections.” He further stressed that the EU has “all options on the table,” including the temporary suspension of the visa-free regime, to act accordingly to the country’s developments.
POLITICO also reported on the potential suspension of the “visa-free regime” if the ruling Georgian Dream party continues backsliding on democracy, citing the European Union Spokesperson. “As part of the EU-Georgia visa liberalization dialogue and the corresponding Action Plan, Georgia was required to meet specific benchmarks, including ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and preventing discrimination,” POLITICO quotes the spokesperson.
At the OSCE Permanent Council meeting, the EU issued a statement on the 16th anniversary of the Russian aggression against Georgia, reaffirming the EU’s “commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Georgia” and condemning “Russia’s continued military presence in the occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia..” The EU statement also reiterates its support for the territorial integrity of Georgia.
Members of the European Parliament addressed the European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, suggesting a four-point plan if the October elections in Georgia aren’t conducted democratically. According to a letter published by MEP Rihards Kols on his X account, the proposed EU actions include the suspension of EU aid, targeted individual sanctions, a review of Georgia’s EU candidacy status, and appropriate public diplomacy and communication measures.
Transparency International – Georgia says Georgia’s Communications Commission (ComCom) and court imposed “unfair” fines on critical media amid an election campaign for refusing to air the ruling party’s ad that portrays civil society representatives in an “extremely unethical, unfair, and misleading context.”
Ana Tsitlidze, leader of the Zugdidi branch of the United National Movement, claims that she and her party members and youth representatives were subjected to an organized attack by supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream party in Zugdidi on September 19. Video footage of the incident shows dozens of people physically attacking and abusing the UNM members as they distribute campaign leaflets.
In an interview with the local TV station, de-facto Abkhaz leader Aslan Bzhania spoke about the relations with Moscow in the light of the recent cuts in funding to the occupied region by Russia, slamming those who oppose the implementation of the 2014 “treaty on alliance and strategic partnership” with Russia and the “agreements” stemming from it.