EGI Political Digest 14

• Happy Liberation Day to the Netherlands !
• We congratulate Latvia on the Day of the Restoration of Independence !

Levan Vasadze announced creation of a political movement

Levan Vasadze, a conservative Georgian businessman, entered politics and founded a public movement – “Unity, Essence, Hope.”

“The main reason for the decision was the fact that the country is in a state of permanent crisis, both politically and economically, culturally, socially, ideologically,” – said Levan Vasadze, adding that for him the “last drop” of the was  so-called Danielson’s document which, according to him, “grossly violated the sovereignty of the country.”

Vasadze named the change in the political system as the main reason for the country’s regression – the transition to parliamentary rule and the weakening of the institution of the president. He also announced that the newly formed public movement will hold a protest rally in Tbilisi on May 16.

Levan Vasadze’s entry into politics was assessed by experts and politicians. Khatia Dekanoidze, a member of the United National Movement, said that Levan Vasadze’s political statement was proof that Russia was looking for political support in Georgia. Expert Gia Khukhashvili responded to Vasadze’s political statement: “Gharibashvili was left without electoral base. Vasadze grabs ultra-conservative wing… Peace and stability [goes] to Gakharia… [Gharibashvili] stays only with votes he can buy.”

Venice Commission and OSCE / ODIHR issued recommendations on amendments to Georgia’s Election Code

The Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR have issued recommendations regarding changes to the Election Code of Georgia. The recommendations concerned the rules for electing the Central Election Commission, the procedure for electing professionally appointed members in the district and precinct commissions and the need for transparency, a clear definition of the rules for removing the election commission, and so on. According to the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR, some of the recommendations made so far have been met, while others remain unfulfilled. They say the frequency of changes to the election law threatens the integrity of the electoral process and the consolidation of democracy. The OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission make another recommendation – to introduce a pilot program of electoral technologies in the 2021 local elections.

The European Court of Human Rights has accepted Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawsuit against the Georgian government

According to the “United National Movement”, Mikheil Saakashvili against the Georgian government – the European Court has accepted the lawsuit of the third president of Georgia. According to Saakashvili’s lawyer Giorgi Chiviashvili, there are two criminal cases, one is related to the beating of Valeri Gelashvili and the other is related to the pardon case.

“Both cases are being discussed, the relevant questions have been sent to the prosecutor’s office and at a later stage, we will have to send specific answers to specific positions. “A non-objective verdict has been handed down against the third president at the level of national courts in Georgia, as there is no direct evidence in the case, it has been investigated improperly and a guilty verdict has been handed down,” Giorgi Chiviashvili told TV Pirveli.

According to Mikheil Saakashvili, the questions of the European Court are completely unambiguous, very clear and specific. “Strasbourg is not needed at all, because every Georgian knows that these are fake, false cases created by Russia at Ivanishvili’s” whims “from the beginning to the end, which have nothing to do with law and justice.”

Vaccination with “Sinopharm” has started in Georgia

Citizens over the age of 18 can be vaccinated by the Chinese-made vaccine  “Sinopharm”.  The process of vaccination began on May 4. Sinopharm is the third vaccine to be introduced in the country after AstraZeneca and Pfizer. Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the Center for Disease Control and Public Health, was the first to be publicly vaccinated with Sinopharm. Khatuna Zakhashvili, head of the Department of Communicable Diseases at the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, was vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine On May 6. The Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze and members of the Parliament of Georgia were vaccinated with the same vaccine.

Registration of Sinopharm for citizens over 18 years of age in Georgia began on April 27, after 100,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in Georgia on April 3. As of May 7, a total of 54,687 vaccinations were administered in Georgia. 8700 people are fully vaccinated.

The European Union has transferred the bail money  of Nika Melia

 According to Tv channel Formula, The European Union has transferred the bail money of Nika Melia, eventually securing his release. According to Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Member of the Georgian Dream, “that the payment of bail by the European Union does not mean the recognition of Melia as a political prisoner”. He also added that United National Movement will sign the Danielson’s document and will enter the parliament of Georgia 

The detailed information regarding this will be provided in our next Digest.