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Irakli Kobakhidze presenting Georgian Dream’s election programme. Photo: Georgian Dream/Facebook.

2024 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgian Dream promises ‘pragmatic policy’ with Russia in election programme

by OC Media

•3 min read

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has presented Georgian Dream’s election programme, vowing to adopt a ‘pragmatic policy’ towards Russia and to create 200,000 jobs and increase average salaries by 2028. Kobakhidze presented his party’s four-year plan on Monday evening, less than three weeks ahead of 26 October’s parliamentary elections. In an hour-long speech, he said the programme included ‘about 20% of the activities that will be implemented in the next four years’ and ‘due to the lack o

China

Opinion | Georgia’s one-sided relationship with China comes with significant risks

by Tinatin Khidasheli

•5 min read

The Georgian Government has increasingly moved to strengthen relations with China, hailing the economic potential of the partnership including high-profile infrastructure projects. But despite the optimism, the relationship has so far remained almost entirely one-sided, and in fact, opens the country up to substantial new risks. Georgia’s foreign strategic alignment has been profoundly influenced by its geopolitical location, historical context, and aspirations for closer integration with West

Anaklia Port

Belgian company wins tender for Anaklia Port

by OC Media

•3 min read

The Georgian government has announced Belgian company Jan De Nul as the winner of a tender for the development of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port in western Georgia. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Economy on Thursday, and confirmed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The Economy Ministry stated that Jan De Nul was one of four companies that applied for the tender, all of them ‘European’, with ‘the best international reputation’. In May, the ministry listed Jan De Nul, Boskalis,

Bidzina Ivanishvili at the opening ceremony of a new Georgian Dream office and launch of their pre-election campaign. Photo: Georgian Dream.

2024 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Ivanishvili promises crackdown on opposition after elections

by OC Media

•5 min read

Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili has threatened legal sanctions against opposition to the ruling party at a ceremony opening the party’s new HQ and announcing the beginning of their election campaign. ‘To ensure the steady development of the country, it is essential to hold the collective National Movement fully accountable in front of the Georgian people and the law’, Georgian Dream’s billionaire founder said in a rare public appearance on Tuesday evening. The party has used th

Ilham Aliyev (left) and Xi Jinping. Official photo via president.az

Azerbaijan

‘One Belt, One Road’: Azerbaijan courts Chinese investors as Xi meets Aliyev

by Aytan Farhadova

•3 min read

Azerbaijan appears to be looking east in a bid to attract Chinese investment to its economy, despite concerns raised by experts about ‘dependency’ on China’s production and economy. On Monday, Azerbaijan hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Baku. The SCO is an international trade and security organisation established by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in 1996, to which Azerbaijan has been a dialogue partner since 2015. Azerbaijan and China’s pre

Georgian and Chinese flags in Beijing. Image via the Government of Georgia.

Anaklia Port

China drops visa restrictions for Georgian citizens

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•2 min read

Georgian citizens will soon be able to visit China for up to 30 days without a visa, the latest in a series of diplomatic agreements between the two countries. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the visa liberalisation act in a cabinet meeting on Monday, with Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili stating after the meeting that China would instate the visa-free regime ‘in a matter of days’. Kobakhidze described the move as ‘an innovative and practical result’ of the strategi

China

Georgian Dream scrambles to apologise to China over president’s comments

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•1 min read

Leading members of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party have scrambled to apologise to China, after President Salome Zurabishvili appeared to suggest the Chinese Premier, Xi Jinping, should face prosecution. The president’s office released a translation of Saturday’s interview with French TV station CLI, which was conducted in French. Zurabishvili was reportedly asked if she hoped the Chinese and Russian leaders would face prosecution — Putin, for crimes against humanity, and Xi Jinping, for