The News in Brief
Monday, December 2
By Liza Mchedlidze
Transparency International calls on the 'Georgian Dream' to form a constructive dialogue with civil society
Transparency international releases the statement which demonstrates concerns towards the political situation in the country. According to the statement, TI supports the idea of the ruling party finding constructive ways of dialogue with civil activists demanding the changes in the Electoral System and calls on the ‘Georgian Dream’ to respect the right of peaceful protests.
“In the past two weeks, the decision by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, to backtrack on a promise to transition to a fully-proportional parliamentary system in time for the 2020 elections has seen thousands of citizens taking to the streets in protest.”
“Transparency International is deeply concerned by the political crisis and backlash against independent civil society groups in Georgia, which risk harming democratic progress in the country and undermining attempts to fight corruption” - the TI statement reads.
According to the Chair of Transparency International Delia Ferreira Rubio, “the events in Georgia are the cause of concern and the attempts of discrediting the civil society or other critical groups undermine the foundations of a healthy democracy.” She also said that TI Georgia is alarmed by continued threats made against them and other civil society groups.
Giorgi Gakharia together with Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan opens TANAP project in Turkey
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia, together with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, participated in the official event dedicated to the completion of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project. The official event was held in Edirne Province, Turkey, Georgian Prime Minister's press office has said.
"The leaders of the countries participating in the project jointly pressed a button to launch natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe for the first time under this project. The Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) aims to meet the natural gas demands of Europe and Turkey and diversify natural gas supply routes,” read the report.
At the official event dedicated to the completion of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Georgian and Azerbaijan Governments for 7-year-long cooperation :
“I would like to express special gratitude to the governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan, in cooperation with them the historic TANAP gas pipeline project has been held”
"I am proud that with patience and effort, the long 7-year long cooperation period between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia has ended successfully.
With the personal efforts of President Aliyev and active cooperation with the Georgian authorities, it has been possible to complete this project within the set timeframe,” said President of Turkey.
The project costs the US $ 10 billion. The TANAP pipeline will carry 16 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. Capacity could be increased to 23 bcm by 2023 and 31 bcm by 2026.
Ivanishvili: ‘It’s crazy what Russia did, but if we build a wall and start hate speech, the situation will never resolve itself’
“It’s crazy what Russia did,” Bidzina Ivanishvili said in an interview with Bloomberg, referring to the war. “But if we build a wall and start hate speech and start cursing each other as Saakashvili did, the situation will never resolve itself.”
According to Bloomberg, before he’ll consider quitting politics, Ivanishvili said a “responsible” party must emerge to replace UNM, which Saakashvili headed from exile in Ukraine until this March when he was replaced by a hand-picked successor. At its peak in 2004, UNM held 135 of the 150 seats in parliament.
Ivanishvili ruled out ever becoming prime minister again, but he also hinted that retirement may have to wait until he’s convinced Saakashvili, his arch-nemesis, won’t try to return from exile and re-enter the political arena.
“If we had a choice today between Georgian Dream or anyone else but UNM, I would leave and you wouldn’t see me in politics or parliament,” said the billionaire. “I would not leave my village.”
Georgian Dream supporters confront UNM in Kutaisi
Members and supporters of the Georgian Dream threw brooms and eggs at the office of the United National Movement, which resulted in a fierce confrontation in Kutaisi.
"The National Movement should be over. We will not forgive the bloodthirsty people who have insulted the patriarch," they said.
Before that, supporters of the Georgian Dream threw eggs and paints at the office of the United Opposition.
Leaders of The United National Movement made comments regarding the incident.
‘They try their best to make us behave in an uncivilized manner - they will not achieve this!’ Chairman of the United National Movement Grigol Vashadze said at the briefing held in Kutaisi when commenting on the ongoing events.
According to Grigol Vashadze, there will be no civil confrontation and the National Movement will continue to prepare for the elections within the framework of legal protests.
“We welcome you from Kutaisi, the cradle of Georgian civilization, where the government once again staged a poor performance. It is a city that is massively deserted, a city of hopelessness, unemployment, a city with no basic living conditions.”
He added that Kutaisi will be the first city to completely reject the Georgian Dream.
Transparency International calls on the 'Georgian Dream' to form a constructive dialogue with civil society
Transparency international releases the statement which demonstrates concerns towards the political situation in the country. According to the statement, TI supports the idea of the ruling party finding constructive ways of dialogue with civil activists demanding the changes in the Electoral System and calls on the ‘Georgian Dream’ to respect the right of peaceful protests.
“In the past two weeks, the decision by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, to backtrack on a promise to transition to a fully-proportional parliamentary system in time for the 2020 elections has seen thousands of citizens taking to the streets in protest.”
“Transparency International is deeply concerned by the political crisis and backlash against independent civil society groups in Georgia, which risk harming democratic progress in the country and undermining attempts to fight corruption” - the TI statement reads.
According to the Chair of Transparency International Delia Ferreira Rubio, “the events in Georgia are the cause of concern and the attempts of discrediting the civil society or other critical groups undermine the foundations of a healthy democracy.” She also said that TI Georgia is alarmed by continued threats made against them and other civil society groups.
Giorgi Gakharia together with Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan opens TANAP project in Turkey
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia, together with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, participated in the official event dedicated to the completion of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project. The official event was held in Edirne Province, Turkey, Georgian Prime Minister's press office has said.
"The leaders of the countries participating in the project jointly pressed a button to launch natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe for the first time under this project. The Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) aims to meet the natural gas demands of Europe and Turkey and diversify natural gas supply routes,” read the report.
At the official event dedicated to the completion of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Georgian and Azerbaijan Governments for 7-year-long cooperation :
“I would like to express special gratitude to the governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan, in cooperation with them the historic TANAP gas pipeline project has been held”
"I am proud that with patience and effort, the long 7-year long cooperation period between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia has ended successfully.
With the personal efforts of President Aliyev and active cooperation with the Georgian authorities, it has been possible to complete this project within the set timeframe,” said President of Turkey.
The project costs the US $ 10 billion. The TANAP pipeline will carry 16 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. Capacity could be increased to 23 bcm by 2023 and 31 bcm by 2026.
Ivanishvili: ‘It’s crazy what Russia did, but if we build a wall and start hate speech, the situation will never resolve itself’
“It’s crazy what Russia did,” Bidzina Ivanishvili said in an interview with Bloomberg, referring to the war. “But if we build a wall and start hate speech and start cursing each other as Saakashvili did, the situation will never resolve itself.”
According to Bloomberg, before he’ll consider quitting politics, Ivanishvili said a “responsible” party must emerge to replace UNM, which Saakashvili headed from exile in Ukraine until this March when he was replaced by a hand-picked successor. At its peak in 2004, UNM held 135 of the 150 seats in parliament.
Ivanishvili ruled out ever becoming prime minister again, but he also hinted that retirement may have to wait until he’s convinced Saakashvili, his arch-nemesis, won’t try to return from exile and re-enter the political arena.
“If we had a choice today between Georgian Dream or anyone else but UNM, I would leave and you wouldn’t see me in politics or parliament,” said the billionaire. “I would not leave my village.”
Georgian Dream supporters confront UNM in Kutaisi
Members and supporters of the Georgian Dream threw brooms and eggs at the office of the United National Movement, which resulted in a fierce confrontation in Kutaisi.
"The National Movement should be over. We will not forgive the bloodthirsty people who have insulted the patriarch," they said.
Before that, supporters of the Georgian Dream threw eggs and paints at the office of the United Opposition.
Leaders of The United National Movement made comments regarding the incident.
‘They try their best to make us behave in an uncivilized manner - they will not achieve this!’ Chairman of the United National Movement Grigol Vashadze said at the briefing held in Kutaisi when commenting on the ongoing events.
According to Grigol Vashadze, there will be no civil confrontation and the National Movement will continue to prepare for the elections within the framework of legal protests.
“We welcome you from Kutaisi, the cradle of Georgian civilization, where the government once again staged a poor performance. It is a city that is massively deserted, a city of hopelessness, unemployment, a city with no basic living conditions.”
He added that Kutaisi will be the first city to completely reject the Georgian Dream.