Salome Zurabishvili, President of Georgia, held a press briefing for journalists from Georgia and abroad. She answered questions about the Georgian Charter and the post-election phase, the electoral climate, her plans, and relations with the USA and EU. The president expressed her confidence that pro-European forces will win the elections. She refused to even consider theoretical scenarios where the elections could be followed by violence. She said, with a half-smile, that if GD won, she would probably be impeached or imprisoned.
The Investigation Service of the Finance Ministry has confirmed that it conducted searches at three alleged call centers. The statement comes after reports of several searches by the Ministry’s Investigation Service. The searches included American think tank Atlantic Council employees Eto Biziashvili and Sopo Gelava; an American business process outsourcer Concentrix; citizen Valeri Tkeshelashvili; and stand-up comic Onise Tskhadadze.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze says that while the opposition, media and civil society organizations (CSOs) believe these searches are linked to the anti-Russian stance and opposition of those under investigation and describe them as Soviet-style tactics, he urges patience until the investigation’s findings.
Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security advisor, spoke at Brookings Institution Washington to reiterate U.S. concerns over Georgia’s electoral process. “We have made our concerns about the trajectory of democratic processes and institutions in Georgia very clear, and we remain extremely concerned about it.” Sullivan said that the Georgian people should decide the future of Georgia in a fair and free process.
The Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, publicly thanked officials of the Interior Ministry sanctioned by the United States for their service in Georgia. “I would like thank the Special Task Department (STD) for its service to Georgia. Special thanks go to the leadership, Zviad Kharazishvili, and Mileri lagazauri… They are a major part of protecting our state interests,” Kobakhidze said to journalists.
Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament has released information on the messages he delivered in his video to the participants at the Third Parliamentary Summit for the Crimean International Platform. According to him, he spoke of the importance of finding the solution and wished Ukrainians a “just” peace.
Read More @ civil.ge