Georgien

Thousands of representatives of different opposition parties and civil rights activists rallied in front of Georgia's government building on February 23, demanding the immediate release of opposition leader Nika Melia after he was detained hours earlier when police stormed his party's offices.

Police in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on Friday (19 February) detained dozens of pro-opposition demonstrators demanding snap polls, as a political crisis sparked by last year’s elections deepened.

The political crisis in Georgia is deepening as Prime Minister Georgi Gakharia stepped down on Thursday (18 February), citing his disagreement with the team on the court decision to arrest the main opposition party leader.

Russia committed a series of human rights violations during its war with Georgia in 2008, the European court of human rights ruled on Thursday, saying Moscow was responsible for the murder of Georgian civilians, and the looting and burning of their homes.

The ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition politicians have failed again to agree on a deal after another round of talks at the residence of the U.S. ambassador in Tbilisi as they look to solve an ongoing political crisis sparked by disputed parliamentary elections in October.

Demonstrators who gathered outside the Central Election Commission (CEC) building were confronted by police. … Earlier, some 45,000 opposition supporters rallied outside the Georgian parliament, denouncing alleged fraud in the October 31 election in which the ruling Georgia Dream party claimed victory.

The ruling party in Georgia won parliamentary elections, firming its grip on power, near-complete results showed on Sunday, but the opposition rejected the figures and promised permanent protests.

On 31 October, Georgia’s citizens will elect a new parliament and government. The newly elected officials will inherit a difficult relationship with Russia, with which Georgia fought a war in 2008. Tensions with Moscow are especially high along the lines separating Georgia from its breakaway regions: primarily South Ossetia, but also Abkhazia.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 31 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, following an invitation from the Georgian authorities.

[…] And, while the European Union has been unable to shape the course of events in Belarus, it could play a more significant role in upcoming elections in Moldova and Georgia.