Shota Kincha is a staff writer at OC Media.
On the eve of the 19 May by-elections in eight municipalities and for a parliamentary seat in Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda District, the Georgian Dream party, chaired by Georgia’s informal ruler Bidzina Ivanishvili, faces a potential new rival that could potentially mobilise the party’s estranged base — the Tbilisi elite. [Read more…]
Irakli Gharibashvili and Bidzina Ivanishvili (GPB)
Former Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili has returned to politics with promises to unite the ruling Georgian Dream party and put an end to the government’s ‘soft’ approach to the ‘destructive opposition’. [Read more…]
A still-forming group in parliament led by former Georgian Dream member Eka Beselia could upset the political landscape in Georgia. With 2020 parliamentary elections on the horizon, this new group poses a potential threat to both billionaire former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ruling party as well as the main opposition. [Read more…]
Salome Zurabishvili (Mari Nikuradze /OC Media)
Georgia’s President Salome Zurabishvili has found herself at odds with the ruling Georgian Dream party over their decision to deny her a permanent seat on the country’s new National Security Council (NSC). Meanwhile, a former deputy secretary of the NSC told OC Media that this was not the biggest problem with the new council, and warned of the ‘excessive powers’ it’s new head may wield. [Read more…]
A TBC branch in Tbilisi (Robin Fabbro/ OC Media)
Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office has announced that they are investigating TBC Bank over possible money laundering and ‘other illicit acts’. [Read more…]
Former Iberia employees protesting in October (RFE/RL)
Former employees of Iberia TV have openly criticised the channel’s owners, Zaza Okuashvili, a Russian-British citizen, and his wife, Georgian MP Nato Chkheidze, claiming they were used in a financial spat with the government. They have demanded to be paid unpaid salaries and compensation after mass layoffs at the station. [Read more…]
Salome Zurabishvili
Salome Zurabishvili has been elected the 5th president of Georgia in 28 November’s presidential runoff, winning 60% of votes according to preliminary results. Her win is historic, given that she is the first woman to run and succeed in the marathon for the presidential seat. Constantly emphasising her European origins, she has promised to help Georgia integrate into NATO and the EU and as she likes to say, ‘bring Georgian society together’.
Salome Zurabishvili (Mari Nikuradze/OC Media)
Preliminary results in Georgia’s second round presidential run-off election show Salome Zurabishvili winning the presidency comfortably, with 60% of votes.
[Read more…]
Bidzina Ivanishvili (Imedi TV)
In a TV interview broadcast on Tuesday night, Georgian Dream chair Bidzina Ivanishvili called the results of 28 October’s vote a ‘cold shower’ for the ruling party, and again vowed to make it right within a year. [Read more…]
Mamuka Bakhtadze (/OC Media)
Georgia’s Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has announced plans to write off ₾1.5 billion ($570 million) in unpaid loans for ‘over 600,000’ people blacklisted by Georgian banks. [Read more…]
