Nate Ostiller

18 Posts

0 Followers

Nate joined OC Media as an editor with experience from The Kyiv Independent, where he covered Ukraine, Russia, and the South Caucasus. He has a background in grant writing and reporting on post-Soviet geopolitics, with a focus on conflict-sensitive journalism and human rights.

A mandarin tree. For illustrative purposes. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Abkhazia

Economic crisis looms in Abkhazia amid electricity shortages, ban of mandarins

by Nate Ostiller

•4 min read

The fallout from Abkhazia’s political crisis, which led to the downfall of President Aslan Bzhaniya in late November, has since evolved into one that impacts the economy. Over the last week, Abkhazia was hit with twin economic setbacks stemming from Russia, its primary financial benefactor. On 6 December, Russia banned the import of mandarins from Abkhazia, one of its top exports. Following this, electricity shortages, exacerbated by the prevalence of illegal crypto mining and the loss

The protest in Tbilisi. Photo: Salome Khvedelidze/OC Media

2024 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Explainer | After a month of simmering protests, Georgia erupted: why now?

by Nate Ostiller

•6 min read

At a moment when it appeared as if demonstrations against electoral fraud and democratic backsliding had fallen into a feeling of bitter acceptance, protests in Georgia exploded suddenly on 28 November after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the government was suspending its bid for EU accession until 2028. But why did the government choose to take such an unpopular move? And why was this the trigger for such mass discontent? In Tbilisi and other cities and towns across the country

Georgia's Constitutional Court. Official photo.

2024 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgia’s Constitutional Court rejects Zourabichvili and opposition appeals

by Nate Ostiller

•3 min read

Georgia’s Constitutional Court has dismissed a lawsuit submitted by Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and opposition parties against the 26 October parliamentary elections. There were two dissenting opinions — by judges Giorgi Kverenchkhiladze and Teimuraz Tughushi — both of which were based on concerns regarding the availability of participation in the elections for voters living abroad. Tughushi’s dissenting opinion also focused on concerns related to the secrecy of voting. The ruli

Afgan Sadygov. Photo via Sakartvelos Ambebi.

Afgan Sadigov

Tbilisi Court rules in favour of extraditing jailed Azerbaijani journalist

by Nate Ostiller

•1 min read

The Tbilisi City Court ruled on Thursday to approve the extradition of Afgan Sadigov, an Azerbaijani journalist who has been in custody in Gldani prison in Tbilisi since 4 August. Sadigov’s lawyers will still have seven days to appeal the decision, and the case may be brought before the Supreme Court. Should all final appeals fail, Sadigov will be extradited back to Azerbaijan, where he was arrested several times on charges he refuted and said were politically motivated. His wife has sa

Abkhazia

Abkhazian President Bzhaniya resigns after mass protests

by Nate Ostiller

•2 min read

Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhaniya has announced that he was resigning following intense protests. Vice President Badra Gunba will serve as Abkhazia’s acting president until the next elections in 2025. Bzhaniya’s official press service shared a signed document saying that he had agreed to resign ‘in order to maintain the stability and constitutional order in the country’. Later on Tuesday, there were unconfirmed reports that he had left Abkhazia. A video surfaced shortly after, in which Bzh

Abkhazia

Political deadlock in Abkhazia as President Bzhaniya clings to power

by Nate Ostiller

•3 min read

Following the dramatic events of last week, which culminated with protesters storming the Abkhazian parliament building and demanding the resignation of President Aslan Bzhaniya, the political situation remains at a standstill. Bzhaniya suggested he was open to vacating his position over the weekend if the protesters vacated the parliament, but added that he would nonetheless run for president again in the presidential election scheduled for the spring of 2025. On Sunday, protesters dem

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