Latest news with #IrakliKobakhidze
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Georgia hosts NATO military drills despite cooling ties with the West
Georgia hosted a major military exercise with NATO troops on Friday, despite its government facing growing accusations of moving off its pro-Western path and tilting closer to Russia. The country's NATO membership bid is enshrined in its constitution and was endorsed by the military alliance in 2008, but Georgia's perceived democratic backsliding in recent years has placed it increasingly at odds with Western partners such as the European Union. Georgia's Defence Ministry said the Agile Spirit exercise, which is taking place near the capital Tbilisi until 8 August, is part of a broader series of joint drills. The war games involve more than 2,000 troops from 10 countries, such as Germany, Romania, Poland, Ukraine and Moldova. The drills in Georgia are expected to include live-fire exercises and a joint operation with the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade. Is the EU losing Georgia? Earlier this month, the European Parliament in Strasbourg adopted a strongly worded resolution against what EU legislators called "the self-proclaimed authorities established by the Georgian Dream party following the rigged parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024." According to the Georgian Dream, the opposition is working against the national interest along with the EU. Last autumn's elections sparked a wave of protests that lasted more than six months, primarily against the government in Georgia, amid accusations of election fraud. The EU is highly concerned by the wave of detentions carried out by the Georgian authorities against journalists and some members of the opposition. The authorities arrested at least seven opposition figures in recent months. Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022, along with Ukraine and Moldova, and was granted candidate country status in December 2023. Just months later, growing concerns and disagreements between Brussels and the Georgian government prompted the two sides to freeze the enlargement process. As a result, the financial support from the European Peace Facility, worth €30 million, was suspended in 2024, and no support is planned for this year. Meanwhile, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told Euronews in May that his country plays a "vital role for Europe." "Everyone should recognise Georgia's strategic importance for Europe, especially for the eurozone. Our role in the region is significant, and that's why the need for dialogue with Georgian leaders is increasingly acknowledged," he said.
Civil.ge
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Civil.ge
Kobakhidze Downplays Concerns Over EU Visa-Free Suspension as Mere Fear of 'Visa Lines'
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze downplayed concerns about the potential suspension of the EU's visa-free regime with Georgia, saying that it would only mean people queuing at embassies for visas again, while claiming that the majority of the population cares about 'real national priorities.' He further claimed that, economically, visa-free travel encourages migration, which he described as a downside of the privilege Georgians have enjoyed since 2017. 'There is a part of the population for whom not having to stand in visa lines is the highest value and the highest priority,' Kobakhidze said on a late-night interview with pro-government Rustavi 2, when asked about possible public reaction if the EU suspends the visa-free regime. He said that only these people, whom he insisted 'cannot be the majority,' would take to the streets in protest. 'But the majority of the population has other priorities – they know very well what the real national priorities are,' Kobakhidze added. 'These are preserving peace, maintaining stability, preserving values, developing the economy, and so on.' Kobakhidze said the 'vast majority' of Georgians will stand for 'peace' and 'stability,' which Georgian Dream members often contrast with the visa-free regime. Georgia has until the end of August to address the European Commission's eight recommendations, as the bloc of 27 warns of suspending visa-free travel — a 'key milestone' in EU-Georgia relations since its introduction in 2017, which the Commission said has delivered 'tangible benefits' to Georgians. Among the recommendations is the repeal of legislation cracking down on civil society and LGBT rights , a step the ruling government appears unwilling to fulfill. 'This process is extremely unfair towards the Georgian people,' Kobakhidze said in the same July 21 interview, expressing hope that the 'European bureaucracy' will not suspend visa-free travel with Georgia, a step he described as 'completely non-productive' and 'counterproductive' for the EU itself. He added that the EU, which he compared to the USSR in the 1990s, has become 'very unpredictable,' once again expressing hope that the bloc will make a 'pragmatic' decision to maintain the visa-free regime for Georgia. 'There is no connection between visa liberalization and economic growth,' Kobakhidze claimed in the interview. 'It's only about one thing: whether you have to stand in line for a visa or not,' he added. Economically, Kobakhidze said the downside of the visa-free regime is that it 'encourages migration.' 'In the absence of visa liberalization, many more of our citizens would remain in the country, which would correspondingly lead to a growth in the workforce. This would, of course, further contribute to faster economic development,' he argued. Unlike most EU foreign policy decisions, suspending visa-free travel does not require unanimity among all 27 member states. Instead, a qualified majority, at least 15 out of 27, with 65% of the population, can approve the move. The EU has already suspended visa-free travel for diplomatic travel holders. In June, Kobakhidze admitted he had to use a visa to travel to one of the European countries, but did not specify which country. Observers have noted that visa-free travel has been one of Georgia's key achievements, with its benefits extending far beyond tourism, boosting economic and labor exchange, improving access to healthcare for Georgians, and strengthening ties among families separated by economic migration. 42 Georgian CSOs said in a July 16 statement that the full responsibility for possible visa suspension 'lies with the [Bidzina] Ivanishvili government.' Also Read:
Civil.ge
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Civil.ge
Kobakhidze Says ‘Global War Party' Uses EU Visa Threat to Open Second Front in Georgia
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed that visa-free travel with the European Union is being used as a 'lever' by what he calls the 'Global War Party' to open a 'second front' in Georgia amid Russia's war on Ukraine. 'The desire to open a second front in Georgia is so strong that the Global War Party has pushed the entire European bureaucracy into attack mode against Georgia, and they see abolishing visa-free travel – the last trump card in their hands – as leverage,' said Irakli Kobakhidze, who also chairs the Georgian Dream, during a July 18 briefing at the ruling party's headquarters. Kobakhidze accused the so-called Global War Party of coordinating 'European structures and specific bureaucrats' to achieve its goals, warning that the danger of war for Georgia 'has not gone away.' The Global War Party conspiracy alongside the 'deep state' theory has been a prominent theme in the GD rhetoric since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. GD claims that a group of influential Western officials has been trying to drag Georgia into a war with Russia. 'Those seeking to drag our country into war believe that abolishing visa-free travel with the EU on a fictitious basis will spark such unrest that it will eventually lead to the overthrow of the government and the coming to power of the agents,' he added. Kobakhidze's statement followed a letter from the European Commission to the ruling Georgian Dream party warning that visa-free travel could be suspended if eight recommendations were not met. The recommendations include repealing controversial legislation targeting civil society and LGBT rights, specifically the Foreign Agents Law and anti-LGBT legislation on the protection of 'family values and minors.' 'What does transparency or a law protecting family values have to do with visa liberalization?' Kobakhidze said. 'Of course, there is no link between these two topics, but the Global War Party–coordinated European bureaucracy is trying to invent a ground for its blackmail and pressure.' Kobakhidze cited the latest European Parliament resolution , the joint statement by 18 European foreign ministers and HR/VP Kaja Kallas, the discussions in the EU Foreign Affairs Council, and the recent letter from the European Commission warning of visa-free suspension, and said that 'these provocative steps taken by European bureaucrats, who are controlled by the Global War Party, aim to change the government and support the opposition.' In a broader context, Kobakhidze claimed that the so-called Global War Party seeks to 'place the burden of the Ukrainian issue entirely on Europe's shoulders' — a strategy he argued is intended to 'destroy both Europe and Russia at the same time.' Opening a second front in Georgia, he alleged, is part of this plan. 'Today, among EU leaders, the war rhetoric is so strong that not only is there no end in sight to the military confrontation, but everything is being done to prolong it,' Kobakhidze said, citing the continued arming of Ukraine, the supply of long-range weapons, and sanctions against Russia. He also pointed to EU countries' decision to allocate 5 percent of their GDP to defense spending next year, arguing that this effectively turns them into 'military states.' According to him, the move 'further escalates the risk of war on the continent and, on the other hand, worsens the economic and social situation within the EU.' Earlier on July 17, Irakli Kobakhidze said visa-free travel with the EU is 'not existential' and that 'peace and stability' should come first if there's a choice between the two. Also Read:
OC Media
18-07-2025
- Politics
- OC Media
Georgian minister confirms he did not complete PhD following OC Media report
Sign in or or Become a member to unlock the audio version of this article Join the voices Aliyev wants to silence. For over eight years, OC Media has worked with fearless journalists from Azerbaijan — some of whom now face decades behind bars — to bring you the stories the regime is afraid will get out. Help us fuel Aliyev's fears — become an OC Media member today Become a member Georgia's Minister of Education Givi Mikanadze has confirmed that he did not obtain a PhD degree from the Free University of Amsterdam, despite Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze praising him for doing so during his appointment. His comments came in response to a question from journalists regarding an OC Media article that revealed that Mikanadze did not complete his PhD. Mikanadze remained defiant, claiming that neither he nor the prime minister had claimed he had obtained a PhD. 'Irakli Kobakhidze didn't lie about anything. Irakli Kobakhidze said I was a doctoral candidate at the Free University of Amsterdam', Mikanadze told journalists on Thursday. His claim, however, contradicted the recording from the 30 June briefing, during which Kobakhidze introduced Mikanadze as the new Minister of Education, following the resignation of the former minister, Aleksandre Tsuladze. At the briefing, Kobakhidze listed Mikanadze's accomplishments and explicitly stated that he had 'defended a doctoral dissertation at the Free University of Amsterdam'. 'You won't find a single biographical resume of mine that says I've completed a PhD […] Irakli Kobakhidze didn't lie. It [my CV] says 'candidate', and 'candidate' can be interpreted as, let's say, having defended [it]', Mikanadze added, claiming that 'this is a very technical issue'. Advertisement Appearing irritated by the questions, Mikanadze called the journalists 'ridiculous' and 'pathetic'. When asked a follow-up question about whether he planned to complete his degree in Amsterdam, Mikanadze replied, 'Do you think I have time [for that]?' Mikanadze's publicly available biography on the Education Ministry's website — which does not mention his Dutch PhD — states that in 2013 he was a researcher at a joint programme between the Free University of Amsterdam and the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement. The biography also states that Mikanadze is a PhD student at Grigol Robakidze University as of 2025. A spokesperson for the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement told OC Media that while Mikanadze was registered as a non-resident PhD student at the Free University of Amsterdam in the mid-2010s, he never completed his doctoral studies. The spokesperson said he submitted only several chapters of his dissertation on probation supervision of life imprisonment in Georgia. Beyond Kobakhidze's statement, references to Mikanadze's alleged PhD are found on his sparsely updated LinkedIn page without providing direct citations. According to the information on LinkedIn, he pursued doctoral studies at the Free University of Amsterdam between 2013 and 2017, a period during which he was also employed by the Council of Europe. Afterward, he continued his career in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and later within the Georgian Dream party. Mikanadze's appointment as a minister was not without controversy, particularly due to his time in government under the United National Movement (UNM), which Georgian Dream has often labeled a 'criminal regime'. From 2005 to 2008, he served as deputy minister of justice, overseeing reforms to the penitentiary system, according to a ministry press release at the time. The UNM has faced multiple objections by critics — including Georgian Dream — over its management of the prison system, particularly regarding the treatment of prisoners. A scandal involving the sexual abuse of prisoners has been largely attributed to their fall from power in 2012.
Euronews
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
EU FMs express deep concern over 'deteriorating situation in Georgia'
European Foreign Ministers expressed they are "disturbed and deeply concerned at the deteriorating situation in Georgia," they wrote in a joint statement on Friday. It comes in a response to a progress report recently approved by the European Parliament on Georgia's accession process, in which the majority of EU lawmakers deplored the "backsliding of the rule of law as well as the growing Russian influence of the ruling party, Georgian Dream." The EU and NATO are concerned over the growing Russian intrusions in the South Caucasus region, the European Parliament claimed, adding that they are also concerned by the number of detentions carried out by Georgian authorities against journalists and some members of the opposition. At the end of last month, several key opposition figures were jailed as part of a months-long crackdown on dissent that followed a disputed election last October. Nearly all leaders of Georgia's pro-Western opposition are now behind bars, as protests continue against the ruling Georgian Dream party and its decision last year to halt Georgia's bid to join the European Union. The demonstrators, who have gathered daily in the capital Tbilisi, also say that the vote on 26 October that handed the ruling Georgian Dream party another term in power was not free or fair. The Georgian Dream has denied these accusations, the party's Secretary General Kakha Kaladze said the arrests had not been politically motivated, emphasising that politicians aren't exempt from the law. The joint statement by European foreign ministers condemned the detentions, claiming that they "contribute to dismantling of democracy in Georgia and rapid transformation towards an authoritarian system, in contradiction to European norms and values." They called on Georgian authorities to immediately release those who were unjustly detained, and urge them to engage in national dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. The statement concluded that recent developments in Georgia resulted in a strained relationship between Tbilisi and Europe, and that "the authoritarian and anti-European course of the Georgian authorities further threatens Georgia's democratic achievements." Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told Euronews in May that his country plays a 'vital role for Europe." 'Everyone should recognise Georgia's strategic importance for Europe, especially for the eurozone. Our role in the region is significant, and that's why the need for dialogue with Georgian leaders is increasingly acknowledged,' he added. Georgia applied for membership in March 2022 with Ukraine and Moldova, and received the candidacy in December 2023. Only some months later, growing concerns and disagreements between the EU and the Georgian government prompted the two sides to freeze the enlargement process.
