NETGAZETI.GE: “ONE OF “CABLES CASE” JUDGES RECALLS THREATS PROCEEDING FROM “DREAM””
February 14, 2025 - Judge David Jugeli, who considered the so-called “cable case” (the case of high-ranking officials of Georgian Defense Ministry), recalls attempts to bribe and intimidate him in order he makes a ruling that suited the Georgian Dream. Jugeli said the mentioned in an interview with TV Pirveli.
NETGAZETI.GE: “IN JANUARY, WORKS OF ART WORTH OVER $420M WERE BROUGHT FROM THE US AND THE UK”
February 14, 2025 - In January, works of art worth $167.6 million were brought to Georgia from the US, and ones of $252.7 million – from the UK (in total, $420.3 million), the article reports with reference to Georgian Finance Ministry.
In addition, in January, cultural valuables worth $60.35 million were brought to Georgia from the US.
FORBES GEORGIA: “IN CORRUPTION RATING, GEORGIA WENT DOWN BY 4 POSITIONS”
February 13, 2025 - In the Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International on February 11, which reflects the situation as of 2024, Georgia shares 53rd place with Bahrain and Poland.
In 2023, Georgia also had the same score (53 points), but the country took 49th place.
NETGAZETI.GE: “STRASBOURG COURT ESTABLISHED VIOLATION OF FAIR TRIAL RIGHT IN THE CABLE CASE”
February 13, 2025 - The European Court of Human Rights established a violation of the right to a fair trial in the so-called “cable case”, Georgian Young Lawyers Association reported.
The complaint filed by the Association with the Strasbourg Court concerned the conviction of employees of the Georgian Defense Ministry for possible misappropriation or abuse of authority.
NETGAZETI.GE: “WHAT IS SAID IN DRAFT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S CRITICAL RESOLUTION”
February 13, 2025 - On February 13, the European Parliament will adopt a resolution “On the further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia”.
According to the draft of the resolution, MEPs do not recognize results of the “deeply flawed and marked by grave irregularities” parliamentary elections held in Georgia on October 26, indicating that they failed “to reflect the will of the people and rendering the resulting “parliament”, and subsequently the “president”, devoid of any democratic legitimacy”.
NETGAZETI.GE: “IF ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT CHANGE, LOCAL ELECTIONS SHOULD BE POSTPONED – COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S CONGRESS”
February 12, 2025 - Without essential changes in the political environment, local elections in Georgia, scheduled for October, should be postponed, the Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe considers. Holding elections under current conditions bears the risk of aggravating the situation, the Bureau points out.
REZONANSI: “NEW MAJOR INVESTIGATION INTO SABOTAGE – WHO COULD BECOME TARGETS FOR PROSECUTORS AND FOR WHAT”
February 12, 2025 - On February 8, Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office launched an investigation into aggravated sabotage, assistance to foreign organization and organization under foreign control in hostile activities to undermine the state interests of Georgia.
The penalty for these crimes is imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years and from 7 to 15 years.
NETGAZETI.GE: “FOREIGN MINISTRY IS STILL SILENT ON OPENING OF AIRPORT IN SUKHUMI BY RUSSIA”
February 11, 2025 - On February 7, the first trial flight from Moscow was made to Sukhumi airport, which has been closed since 1993 (end of war in Abkhazia). In 2023, the Abkhaz side handed over the airport to Russia for 49 years.
REZONANSI: ““DREAM” PREPARES DECISION ON AMBASSADORS AND EMBASSIES – “PROTECTION OF THE COUNTRY’S SOVEREIGNTY” OR “STEP TOWARDS ISOLATION””
February 11, 2025 - Chairman of the Georgia’s Parliament Shalva Papuashvili states that ambassadors of some countries behaved like instructors, who gave instructions to the government of Georgia on what laws should be adopted, the article reports.
In turn, deputy from the Georgian Dream Irakli Zarkua states: “We are doing everything possible so that no foreign organization has the opportunity to interfere in the internal affairs of the country – it does not matter whether it will be an ambassador, embassy or representative of any other international organization”.
FORBES GEORGIA: “IN ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION RANKING, GEORGIA IS ON 26TH PLACE”
February 10, 2025 - In the 2024 globalization index, Zurich Technology University ranks Georgia the 26th among 189 countries in terms of economic globalization.
In terms of social globalization, Georgia is in 69th place, while in terms of political globalization – in 120th place.
NETGAZETI.GE: “NEW LAWS, VIOLENCE ARE THE BASIS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF AUTOCRACY BY THE “GEORGIAN DREAM” – “HRW””
February 10, 2025 - The Georgian authorities are “trying to suppress any dissent”, “preventively restrict and suppress any different opinion”, said Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia division at the Human Right Watch (HRW).
“The new laws that have just entered into force and physical violence are the basis for building an autocracy”, Denber said in an interview with the Georgian edition of Voice of America.
TABULA: “ISSA CONDUCTED SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY IN JANUARY – RESULTS IN DETAIL”
February 10, 2025 - Survey, conducted in Georgia by the Institute of Social Studies and Analysis (ISSA), 82.1% of respondents admit existence of a political crisis in the country.
The survey identified 3 indicators of the political crisis: one-party Parliament; mass protests in Georgia demanding the holding of new parliamentary elections; physical violence and illegal arrests of protesters.