Vasili Rukhadze
Vasili Rukhadze holds an M.A. in political science from the City University of New York and a Ph.D. in political science from Kent State University. He was a Visiting Scholar at the Harriman Institute of Columbia University in 2007–2008. Mr. Rukhadze served as the Chairman of the Georgian Truth Commission from April to December 2010 (until the completion of the project). He has been a regular contributor to the Jamestown Foundation’s Eurasia Daily Monitor since 2012. Currently, he is a Visiting Lecturer of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh.
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Articles by Vasili Rukhadze
Georgian Government Insists on Direct Talk With Moscow-Backed Separatists
On March 9, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili appealed to the government of Russia to take “reasonable, at least minimal steps, for bringing [Georgian-Russian] relations out of [their] vicious cycle.”
Georgia’s Much Celebrated Visa Liberalization With European Union Comes Under Threat
Exactly one year ago, in Mach 2017, Georgia celebrated the launch of the much-sought-after visa-free travel rules (so-called visa liberalization) with the European Union. The event was considered of such
Azerbaijan Becomes Monopoly Supplier of Natural Gas to Georgia
In January, the Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development approved its annual energy assessment (balance), which shows that Georgia will not purchase any natural gas from Russia this year.
Breakaway Abkhazia Begins New Year With a New Phase of Political Turmoil
The Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia was hit by a new political scandal on the eve of 2018. Its proximate cause did not appear overly significant at the time, and
A Year in Review: Georgian Government Struggles With Multiple Crises in 2017, While Cementing Its Grip on Power
Taking into consideration post-Soviet Georgia’s usually dramatic political life, the year 2017 was not particularly spectacular domestically or internationally. And yet, there were certain developments that will likely have strong
Georgian Dream Wins Big in Municipal Elections, Further Consolidating Its Power
On October 21, Georgia held its first municipal elections since the 2014 regional self-governance reforms, which were supposed to transfer more powers to local governments (Matsne.gov.ge, May 2, 2014). Subsequently,
Georgian President Calls for a United Western Strategy Against Russian Aggression
The Georgian seaport city of Batumi hosted the eleventh annual Georgia Defense and Security Conference (GDSC), on October 12. The event was attended by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister
Five Years after Taking Power, Georgian Dream’s Promises Remain Unfulfilled
October 1 marked five years since the Georgian Dream (GD) coalition, led by Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, won its landslide victory against the ruling United National Movement in the 2012
Georgia Hosts Large-Scale, Multinational Military Drills
From September 3 to September 11, Georgia hosted the multinational military exercise Agile Spirit 2017 (Agenda.ge, September 11). Originally, Agile Sprit started off as a bilateral United States–Georgia military exercise,
Georgia Gearing Up for Local Elections
With the 2016 parliamentary elections barely over, Georgia is readying itself for the October 2017 local elections. Their importance is hard to overestimate. Five mayoral posts for five self-governing cities
Constitutional Debate Rages on in Georgia
On June 8, Georgia’s months-long, contentious constitutional reform debate took a new turn when the Georgian parliamentary speaker, Irakli Kobakhidze, declared that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party would no
Russia Increasingly Treats Georgia as Its Prospective Satellite
The last several weeks were quite tumultuous for Georgia. The country experienced a heightened level of Russian intimidation and ended up on the receiving end of several humiliating statements by
Anti-Western Propaganda in Georgia Grows in Strength and Sophistication
Georgia’s Media Development Foundation (MDF) recently released a 53-page report on anti-Western propaganda in the country. The April 18 report covers the period from January 1, 2016, to December 31,
Georgia and Ukraine Welcome New Thaw in Bilateral Relations
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili traveled to Ukraine on March 27, meeting with the host country’s President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. The visit occurred within the framework
Georgia Readies Itself for New Constitutional Changes
On March 18, Georgian parliamentary speaker Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the country’s Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) is readying to present to the public the draft of new constitutional changes by
Georgia’s Seaport City of Batumi Erupts in Violence
Georgia’s seaport city of Batumi suddenly erupted in violence, on the night of March 11–12, as hundreds of protesters descended on the city streets, overturning, destroying, and burning police and
Rustavi 2 TV Channel Fights for Its Survival as Supreme Court Decision Approaches
Some 78,000 Georgians, led by several opposition political parties and civic activists, marched in the streets of downtown Tbilisi, on February 19, to protest against the alleged government attempt to
Georgia Signs Unfavorable New Natural Gas Transit Deal With Russia
Following months of negotiations, on January 11, Russia and Georgia finally concluded a deal over the transit of Russian natural gas to Armenia via Georgia. According to the new, two-year-long
Will Georgia’s Former Ruling Party Survive the Prospect of Disintegration?
On November 30, the Political Council of Georgia’s former ruling party, the United National Movement (UNM) decided, after intense internal debate, that it would hold a much larger congress on
After Leaving Odesa, Saakashvili’s Political Future Even More Uncertain in His Native Georgia
Mikhail Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia (2004–2013), resigned from his post of governor of Ukraine’s Odesa region, on November 7. Justifying his decision, Saakashvili accused President Petro Poroshenko’s administration
Strategic Assessment: After Months of Political Campaign, Georgia Enters Post-Election Period
The following political landscape piece is a part of Eurasia Daily Monitor’s special quarterly series of strategic assessments of developments across Eurasia. These pieces examine recent important developments and trends
Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections Begin a Shift in Country’s Political Landscape
Georgia held nationwide parliamentary elections on October 8. Against the background of the country’s stagnant economy and worsening living conditions, it was not entirely clear if the ruling Georgian Dream–Democratic
Is Georgia Headed Toward Post-Election Violence?
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who also serves as the chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia party (GDDG), stated on September 14 that the formerly ruling United National Movement
Ahead of Parliamentary Elections, Georgian Establishment Descends Into Political Mudslinging
On September 2, Georgia’s State Audit Office (SAO) fined a ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party member and its affiliated organization, as well as the donors to two opposition parties—the Alliance
Is Russian-Occupied Abkhazia Governable?
The Russian-occupied separatist Georgian region of Abkhazia held a referendum on July 11 to decide whether the population supported holding early presidential elections. The referendum, which the opposition had demanded,
Georgian Government Continues to Struggle With the Country’s Military Affairs
Georgian Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli signed a decree, on June 26, effectively abolishing military conscription by the Ministry of Defense (MoD). The decree applies only to the MoD and hence,
Georgia’s Main Opposition Party Suffers Declining Support, Internal Fracturing
Giorgi Vashadze, a high-ranking member of Georgia’s formerly ruling United National Movement (UNM) and a member of the Georgian parliament, left his political party on May 5. Immediately, he unleashed
Georgian Political Field Fragments Ahead of the 2016 Parliamentary Elections
Georgian politics rarely lacks drama or signs of fragmentation, but the much-anticipated recent arrival of Paata Burchuladze, a world-renowned Georgian operatic bass, to the political stage has added a fresh,
Russia Alters Geopolitical Balance in South Caucasus With New Energy Project
On April 13, the energy ministers of Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran met in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, where they agreed to create a single, common electricity market among
Is Russia Preparing the Annexation of South Ossetia?
Leonid Tibilov, the de facto leader of the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia, (Tskhinvali region), declared, on April 11, that his government is planning to hold a referendum about
Is the Ruling Georgian Dream Coalition Disintegrating?
On March 31, after several days of deliberation (Imedi.ge, March 28), Georgia’s Republican Party (RP) declared that it would participate in the upcoming fall 2016 parliamentary elections separately from the
Is Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian Reconciliation Possible?
On March 10, in a rare tripartite deal, Georgia released four Ossetian prisoners, three of which were serving life sentences on charges of terrorism against the Georgian state. In exchange,
Completion of Baku–Tbilisi–Kars Railway Project Postponed Again
On February 19, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey held their fifth trilateral meeting, during which they agreed on the completion date for the construction of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars
Russia’s Soft Power in Georgia: How Does It Work?
In this year’s State of the State address, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili warned about the increasing influence of Russian “soft power” on his country (Ghn.ge, February 3). Moreover, the United
New Economic Data Show Georgia’s Deepening Economic Malaise
On January 29, the National Statistics Office (NSO) of Georgia released new economic data, which shows that in 2015, the country’s GDP grew by just 2.8 percent, significantly less than
Russia Pushes Hard to Capture South Caucasus’ Energy Markets
Tbilisi and Moscow’s negotiations over the expansion of Russian Gazprom’s share of the Georgian energy market heightened the political fever in the country over the last several weeks. The negotiations
Georgia’s Ruling Coalition Delivers Coup de Grace to Salvage Its Electoral Support
On December 23, Irakli Garibashvili resigned from his post as prime minister of Georgia (Channel 1 TV, Rustavi 2 TV, Imedi TV, December 23, 2015). The decision came as a
Georgia’s Once Powerful Former Ruling Party Is in Danger of Fragmentation
United National Movement (UNM), Georgia’s once powerful political party, which spent nine years (2003–2012) in power, is in serious trouble. The start of December 2015 brought new revelations of the
Georgia’s By-Elections Show Altering Political Balance in the Country
On October 31, Georgia held by-elections for two vacant parliamentary seats in the districts of Martvili and Sagarejo (Channel 1, Rustavi 2, Civil Georgia, October 31). The by-elections did not
Georgia Inches Closer to Civil Confrontation, as New Wiretapped Recordings Surface
The ongoing political and legal stand-off between the Georgian government and the opposition over the ownership of the Rustavi 2 TV channel (Rustavi 2, Media.ge, October 2; see EDM, October
Russia’s Gazprom Seems Set to Return to Georgia
For the last several weeks, political life in Tbilisi has been largely dominated by ongoing negotiations between the governments of Russia and Georgia regarding Russian natural gas giant Gazprom’s large-scale
Defying Georgia, Turkey Gradually Cultivates its Influence in Separatist Abkhazia
Turkey has been one of Georgia’s closest economic and political partners in the wider Middle East since the latter country regained its national independence in 1991. Currently, Turkey is Georgia’s
Are Georgia’s Friends Violating Tbilisi’s ‘Law on Occupied Territories?’
Georgia’s 2008 Law on Occupied Territories explicitly bans all domestic and foreign companies from conducting any type of economic (commercial or non-commercial) activities in the Russian-occupied territories of Abkhazia and
Is Russia Preparing for a Second Major Assault on Georgia?
On August 22, Russian Deputy Defense Minister General Dmitry Bulgakov stated that as of the end of July, Russia had deployed 500 railway troops to restore the portion of the
Political Bickering Over Georgian Financial Regulations Highlights Weaknesses in Country’s Political Culture
On July 31, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili announced, with some degree of pomp and theatrical showmanship, that he was vetoing a highly controversial and widely debated bill on banking supervision
Russia Annexes Additional Georgian Lands, Closing in on the Strategic East-West Highway
On July 10, the Russian occupation forces in the separatist territory of South Ossetia (Tskhinvali region) moved the occupation line deeper into Georgia, thus effectively slicing off additional lands in
In the Face of Recent Russian-Abkhaz Disagreements, is Georgian-Abkhaz Dialogue Possible?
In the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia, the last couple weeks of June 2015 were dominated by news of an unusual spat between the typically submissive Abkhazian separatists, on the
Georgia’s Anaklia Port May Alter Balance of Power Near Russian-Occupied Abkhazia
On June 9, the Georgian government finally selected two winners, two consortia that are to move to the final stage of the bidding process to design, construct and operate the
European Union Snubs Georgia on Visa Free Travel Rules, as Pro-Russian Sentiments Grow in the Country
At the Eastern Partnership summit, held on May 21–22, in Riga, Latvia, the European Union delayed granting Georgia (along with it Ukraine) visa free travel rules for its citizens. Although
The Latest Census Underlines Georgia’s Profound Demographic Crisis
On April 30, Georgia’s National Service of Statistics (NNS) finally released the preliminary results of the 2014 census, the first census held in the country since 2002. Although, few expected
Bilateral Ties Between Georgia and Belarus Take a New Turn
On April 22–24, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka paid his first ever official visit to Georgia. The visit was filled with pageantry and emotional declarations, as President Lukashenka met with Georgian
More of Georgia’s Muslims Try to Join Islamic State
On April 2, two high school boys from Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge, populated by Muslim Chechens (known as Kists in Georgia), disappeared and later contacted their parents, notifying them that they
Are Georgian-Ukrainian Bilateral Relations Deteriorating?
On March 26, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili declared that he was postponing his state visit to Ukraine because he was too busy dealing with Georgia’s domestic affairs. Garibashvili took
Pro-Russian Georgian Politicians Offer New Political Illusions to Georgian Public
On March 4, Gogi Topadze, the leader of the Party of Industrialists and one of the key members of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition, delivered another diatribe against Georgia’
Despite Multiple Troubles, Russia Continues Its Pressure Against Georgia
One might expect that while Russia’s political, diplomatic, military and economic resources are tied down in its protracted war in Ukraine, the Kremlin would have difficulty focusing on other regions
Marginal Political Groups in Georgia Try to Fill the Political Vacuum in the Country
On January 31, several thousand protesters gathered in downtown Tbilisi. They demanded that the government more actively pursue the prosecution of high-ranking members of the United National Movement (UNM) party
The Conflict Between the President and the Prime Minister Continues to Dominate the Georgian Political Landscape
Since the start of this year, Georgian political life has been increasingly dominated by the deepening and all-consuming conflict between President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. This time,
Death of Georgian Volunteer in Ukraine Sparks Controversy in Georgia
Alexandre Grigolashvili, a Georgian volunteer who was fighting on the Ukrainian side in that country’s ongoing war against Russia-sponsored separatists, was killed in action on December 19, 2014 (Channel 1
Fraying Georgian Government in Denial as Currency Spirals Downward
On December 5, Georgia’s national currency, the lari, fell by another 2.86 percentage points against the US dollar, hitting its lowest point since spring 2004. Overall, from early November 2014,
Looming Annexations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russia’s Growing Appetite for Territorial Expansion
On November 20, Russian-occupied South Ossetia’s (Tskhinvali region) separatist regime declared that it is negotiating a new “comprehensive agreement on integration” with Russia, which will raise the relationship between the
Defense Minister Alasania’s Ouster Underlines Profound Crisis of Georgia’s Political Elites
The November 4 sacking of Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili (Imedi TV; Rustavi 2, November 4; see EDM, November 5) and Alasania’s Our Georgia–Free Democrats
Moscow’s Attempt to Annex Abkhazia Serves as a Bitter Lesson to Russia’s Friends and Opponents
On October 13, the Kremlin unveiled the so called “Agreement on Alliance and Integration” between Russia and breakaway Abkhazia (see EDM, October 23). To summarize this long and verbose text,
Few Successes and Many Disappointments—A Net Assessment of Developments in Georgia Since the Start of 2014
To date in 2014, Georgia has not experienced anything as cataclysmically destructive as the 2008 Russian-Georgian war. However, this year has not been particularly successful either. And prospects are low
Possibility of Hosting Anti-ISIS Training Center Creates Confusion in Georgia
On September 23, Foreign Policy magazine’s “The Cable” blog reported that Georgia offered to host a training center for Washington-backed Syrian rebels in order to aid the US-led coalition against
New Georgian Constitution Deepens Rift Between the President and the Prime Minister
On September 11, an apparently frustrated Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili announced that his visit to the United States to attend and address the annual session of the United Nations in
New Pro-Russian, Radical Separatist Leader Takes Power in Breakaway Abkhazia
On August 24, the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia held early presidential elections. Opposition leader Raul Khajimba, who helped to unseat the former “president,” Alexander Ankvab, following the May–June 2014
Georgian Prime Minister Reshuffles the Cabinet to Divert the Blame
On July 21, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced the first major cabinet reshuffle since the Georgian Dream (GD) coalition came to power in October 2012. The shake-up affected seven
Russian-backed Abkhaz Separatist Regime Steps Up Discrimination of Ethnic Georgians
On June 30, the Abkhaz separatist regime announced that it would remove from the voter lists 22,787 ethnic Georgians living in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia. The separatist regime officials claimed that
Georgia’s Local Elections Signal Changes to the Country’s Political Landscape
On June 15, Georgia held local elections. Hundreds of seats on the councils (sakrebulos) of 59 counties (municipalities) and positions for 59 county governors (gamgebeli) and 12 city mayors were
New Wave of Chaos Hits Russian-Occupied Abkhazia
On June 1, Alexander Ankvab, the separatist president of Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, resigned. His first term was to expire in 2016. The Abkhazian parliament scheduled early presidential elections
Russia Warns Georgia Against Signing Association Agreement With European Union
On May 22, Alexander Lukashevich, the spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), grimly declared that there would be consequences for Georgia if it signed the Association Agreement
Georgia Receives More Vague Verbal Promises From NATO
On April 30, while speaking at an event hosted by the Washington-based think tank the Atlantic Council, Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Despite Bilateral Talks, Russian Threat Still Hangs Over Georgia
A quick glimpse could lead one to conclude that Georgian-Russian relations are truly improving. After an April 16 meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, Zurab Abashidze, the Georgian prime minister’s special
Georgia Is Reeling After President Obama’s NATO Statement
Statements and declarations about Georgia made by Western countries and especially the United States carry big weight in Tbilisi. Every one of them is read, re-read, analyzed, and scrutinized by
Rifts Emerge Within the Georgian Dream Coalition
A severe rift appears to be opening up within the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition. Even more so, the coalition might be headed toward complete disintegration as a political alliance.
As Russia Tries to Dismember Ukraine, Georgia’s Fate Hangs in Balance, Too
On March 4, Stefan Fule, the European Union’s Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, came to Georgia on an official visit. He held high-level meetings with Georgian President Giorgi
Georgian Government Plays an Unattainable Foreign Policy Game
On February 10, when asked by a Georgian journalist if he would meet with the president of Georgia, Russian President Vladimir Putin uttered: “Yes, if he wants, why not?” (civil.ge,
Russia Moves ‘Border Zone’ Seven Miles Deeper Into Breakaway Abkhazia
On January 20, Abkhazia’s separatist government moved its so-called “border zone” with Russia almost seven miles (11 kilometers) deeper into Abkhazia. The measure is designed to widen the security area
Looking Back: Georgia’s Troubled Year 2013 Indicates More Trouble in 2014
Georgia had a difficult year in 2013 by any standards. The conflict-ridden period of co-habitation between President Mikhail Saakashvili and Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili lasted until October 2013 and fundamentally
New Georgian Presidential Administration: New Foreign Policy?
On November 17, Giorgi Margvelashvili was inaugurated as the fourth president of Georgia (Rustavi 2 TV, Channel 1, Imedi TV, November 17). However, his rhetoric and appointments to his foreign
Irakli Garibashvili Named as Georgia’s Next Prime Minister
On November 2, outgoing Georgian prime minister and multi-billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili named his protégé, 31-year-old Minister of Interior Irakli Garibashvili, as his successor when he voluntarily steps down as head
Georgian Presidential Candidate Frontrunner Says He Will Not Run in a Second Round
On October 17, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili declared that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition’s presidential candidate, Giorgi Margvelashvili, would be well advised not to participate in a second
Georgian Parliament Once Again Alters Constitution
On October 4, the Georgian parliament passed further amendments to the new Georgian constitution. The country’s new constitution was adopted in October 2010 under President Mikheil Saakashvili and will go
Russia Gradually Expands Its Occupation Zone in Georgia
On September 17, Russian occupation forces in Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) renewed erecting fences and barbed wire in the Georgian village of Ditsi, which is located on the southern edge
Georgian Prime Minister Announces His Intention of Pre-Term Resignation
On September 2, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili released an eight-page “open letter to the public” in which he outlines the reasons for why he intends to leave the position
Akhalaia Acquittal Causes Mini Political Earthquake in Georgia
On August 1, Tbilisi City Court acquitted former Defense and then Interior Minister Bacho Akhalaia on charges that involved exceeding official powers, illegal confinement and torture in three separate cases.
Feeble Pool of Presidential Candidates Indicates Weakened Presidency in Georgia
On July 21, the United National Movement (UNM) held one more round of primaries, this time in the city of Batumi, to elect the party’s presidential candidate who will run
Georgian Government Revokes Visa-Free Travel Rules with Iran
On July 1, the Georgian government unilaterally revoked the 45-day visa-free travel rules with Iran (www.iveroni.com.ge, July 3). Georgia implemented a visa-free regime with Iran in January 2011, under President
Latest Georgian Casualties in Afghanistan Spark Unprecedented Public Debate and Doubts about Georgia’s NATO Perspectives
On June 6, seven Georgian soldiers were killed in a truck bomb attack in Afghanistan (TV9; Rustavi 2, June 6). Just three weeks earlier, on May 13, three more Georgian
Russia Underscores its Military Presence in Georgia’s Breakaway Regions
On May 14, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Russia’s 7th military base in Gudauta, in the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia. At the base, Shoigu toured a Russian military
Georgian Government Tries to Appease Its Critics, While Failing to Change the Substance of Its Foreign Policy
On April 30, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili assertively declared that Georgia should make firm steps in order to obtain a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Membership Action Plan (MAP)
New Georgian Government Begins to Show Its Dark Side
On April 4, various Georgian news agencies, based on an article by the British newspaper The Guardian, reported that Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili was the owner in 2006–2009 of
Georgian-Russian Rapprochement Is Not Yielding Any Results for Georgia
On March 12, on his official visit to Moscow, Abkhazian separatist leader Alexander Ankvab met with Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as with the head of the Russian Orthodox
‘Cultural Ties’: Russia’s New War Tool with Georgia
On March 4, renowned Georgian folk dance and music ensemble Erisioni departed to Russia for a tour, culminating in a series of grandiose concerts at the Kremlin on March 9–10
Georgia Once Again Finds Russia To Be a Bad Negotiating Partner
On February 4, a Georgian delegation led by Levan Davitashvili, the head of the National Wine Agency at the Ministry of Agriculture, held another round of trade negotiations with Gennady
Ivanishvili’s Government Creates a Scapegoat, While Finding It Hard to Deliver on Its Promises
On February 15, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) party, as part of a power-sharing agreement, confirmed its proposal to the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition that a
New Georgian Ruling Regime Attempts to Shed Allies and Consolidate Power
On February 5, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili made a number of statements addressed to Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, some of which sounded like accusations and warnings against the leader
The Shift in Geopolitical Balance of Power in South Caucasus is Underway
On January 17, during his visit to Armenia, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili stated that “Armenia provides a good example for Georgia, and it can be a source of envy
Russia May Gain in South Caucasus, as Georgian Government Wavers on Regional Railway Projects
On December 21, 2012, Georgian Prime-Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili dropped a bombshell, stating that ongoing construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, connecting Azerbaijan to northeastern Turkey via Georgia, raised many questions
Georgian Dream Coalition: Fragile Unity
On January 4, parliamentarian Levan Berdzenishvili, one of the leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition and a high ranking member of the Republican Party (RP), stated that the
The End of United National Movement’s Rule in Georgia: What Now?
The year 2012 will be remembered in modern Georgian history as the period when the unchallenged, almost nine-year rule of President Mikheil Saakashvili and his United National Movement (UNM) ended,
No Plan to Solve Deadlock Over Occupied Georgian Regions
On December 6, speaking at the conference, “Perspectives of Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian relations under the new government,” held in Tbilisi, Georgia’s Minister of Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili stated that the country
Russia is Pushing Georgia into Accepting More Concessions
On November 29, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in response to the new Georgian government’s attempts to normalize ties with Russia, declared that Moscow was ready for dialogue with Tbilisi.
New Rhetoric, but Old Policy on Adjara Autonomy
On October 28, Georgia’s new Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili named the new Head of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara (hereafter, Adjara)—a 1,120 square mile large region of
Reinterpretations of Soviet History in Georgia and the Post-Soviet Space: Never-Ending Battle
On November 12, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Culture Yuri Metchitov, serving in the “Georgian Dream”–led new government, declared that Georgia should change the name of the Museum of the Soviet
Is Georgia’s New Government Shifting the Country’s Geopolitical Course Toward Russia?
On November 1, Georgia’s new prime minister, the leader of the “Georgian Dream” coalition, Bidzina Ivanishvili, announced the creation of the position of the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Relations