Kakha Kaladze

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Kakha Kaladze (left) and Mamuka Khazaradze (right). Illustration by OC Media.

Georgia

Opposition leader vows to sue Tbilisi mayor for defamation

by Shota Kincha

•2 min read

The leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, has vowed to sue the Mayor of Tbilisi and general secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party for defamation. Khazaradze announced his intent to sue Kakha Kaladze on Tuesday, hours after the Tbilisi mayor accused him of racketeering during the rule of the United National Movement under former president Mikheil Saakashvili. Kaladze accused Khazaradze of being involved in ‘dirty deeds’ and of being Saakashvili’s ‘goon’ at Tbilisi’s

A demonstrator lights a candle for the killed 13-year-old in Vake Park in an anti-Kaladze demonstration on 13 October. OC Media.

Armenia

Podcast | Armenia's future in CSTO and Kaladze under fire

by OC Media

•2 min read

In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Robin Fabbro talks to Yerevan-based political analyst Tigran Grigoryan about Armenia’s relations with the CSTO after the two-day war with Azerbaijan in September. Read more: * Opinion | Russia’s shifting interests are leaving Armenia out to dry * Opinion | Armenia’s old allies have failed it, new ones have yet to appear Tata Shoshiashvili talks about an accident that took the life of a 13-year-old girl and injured two ot

Kakha Kaladze. Screengrab from 19 October official broadcast.

Georgia

Embattled Tbilisi mayor lashes out at critics after death of 13-year-old

by Shota Kincha

•5 min read

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has been accused of avoiding responsibility following the death of a 13-year-old girl in Vake Park, and engineering photo opportunities with survivors of the incident. Kaladze claims that these accusations are baseless and politically motivated. Opening a municipal government session today, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze berated his critics over ‘an organised campaign of agitation’ after being accused of resorting to PR stunts following the death of a child. On 13

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze reopening Vake Park on 12 October. Photo: Tbilisi City Hall.

Georgia

Calls for Tbilisi mayor to resign after 13-year-old dies in newly re-opened park

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•2 min read

Calls are mounting for Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze to resign after a 13-year-old girl died from being electrocuted in a fountain in Vake Park. On Thursday, three children were injured after entering the fountain in the newly renovated park, which was officially opened by Kaladze the previous day. One child passed away before reaching hospital while another remains in serious condition. One of the children reportedly entered the fountain to retrieve a ball, with the other two, receiving elec

Kakha Kaladze presenting his nominees on 30 November. Official photo.

Georgia

Kaladze announces all-man cabinet for Tbilisi

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•2 min read

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has nominated his vice mayor, three deputy mayors, and the heads of 15 government departments in the capital — none of whom are women. The composition of the government remains almost unchanged from its previous iteration. ‘I can talk a lot about the projects we have planned, but you will probably agree that these projects require specific people in specific positions who were and will be directly involved in the work that we have been able to do over the past fou

A voter casts his ballot in the second round of Georgia's municipal elections on 30 October. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

2021 Georgian Local Elections

Georgian opposition groups refuse to concede in municipal runoffs

by Shota Kincha

•4 min read

Georgia’s opposition have refused to concede after preliminary results gave the ruling Georgian Dream party victory in all mayoral races except for the small constituency of Tsalenjikha. ‘Elections have been cancelled in this country’, Nika Melia, chair of the opposition UNM Party claimed in the early morning of 31 October while promising to come forward with an action plan in response to the preliminary results. As polling stations closed at 20:00 on Saturday, both the ruling party and opp

Tbilisi mayoral candidates Kakha Kaladze and Nika Melia. Campaign images.

2021 Georgian Local Elections

Georgian Dream face challenges in cities as local elections kick off

by Shota Kincha

•5 min read

The ruling Georgian Dream party has vowed to win a universal victory and ‘no more elections for the next three years’ as Georgians go to the polls in the second round of municipal elections. Saturday’s vote will see Georgian Dream candidates face runoff votes for 42 majoritarian seats on municipal and city councils as well as the mayors of 20 out of 64 municipalities and cities. Theses include contests in all five self-governing cities and 15 self-governing communities. The main battlegroun