Journalists fleeing freedom? 2010-02-11 09:33 Georgia has long been probably the most progressive democracy in post-Soviet space as was believed in Europe and in the West. Former US President George Bush even called this small but very proud republic a “beacon of democracy” on his visit to Tbilisi. Experts claim that major democratic achievements are creation of corruption-free interior authorities and independent mass media. But development of democratic institutions in Georgia keeps stumbling – not because of endless claims of the opposition to the authorities. After all it’s the opposition’s task to criticize… Freedom of mass media has been a real problem lately. And no matter how hard the dominant majority tries to prove that all is fine in the democratic kingdom – facts are glaring. Complaints about oppression of media by the authorities don’t stop. Journalists take most radical decisions to leave the country.

Nogaideli slapped in the face 2010-02-10 18:01 Yesterday United Russia party and opposition Movement for Fair Georgia signed a cooperation treaty. While parliamentarians of both states are considering exchange of experience in creation of political architecture official Tbilisi accuses Zurab Nogaideli, the Georgian party’s leader of treason.

Take me with you, NATO! 2010-02-09 23:41 Georgian MFA declared readiness for action in the context of the country’s entering into the North-Atlantic alliance. According to Head of the administration Grigol Vashadze, the only obstruction is the fear of Moscow’s reaction, although, in December, Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen asserted that neither Georgia, nor Ukraine was ready for membership. Besides, so long as the Russian military doctrine pronounced the expansion of the military block to be the main threat to the country the Alliance should not tease “the bear” with making promises to Tbilisi.

Abkhazia ready for dialogue. How will West react? 2010-02-09 18:01 As Abkhaz FM Sergey Shamba reports, Abkhazia is ready to consider OSCE commissariat’s ideas on Gal district. Moreover, Sukhum does not object to cooperation with this organization given Knut Vollebaek’s global experience even despite his biased reports on the situation on Georgian-Abkhaz border. Firstly this is non-aggression agreement with Georgia negotiation and better output of Geneva discussions .Will the call of the young state be heard in Brussels?

Scolded for traditional orientation 2010-02-09 17:48 Once again, pro-Russian politicians in Georgia are proclaimed traitors. The first one to be scolded was Zurab Nogaideli arriving in Moscow today on a three-day visit. The “northward orientation” is considered a crime by the nationalistic democrats. Still US envoys like James Steinberg are greeted with obsequious servility. Shuttle diplomacy is gathering pace.

Okruashvili’s factor in the Georgian policy 2010-02-08 22:51 The ghost of the former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili is again looming in the Georgian public arena. Why the ghost? The point is that precisely a year ago, when the spring confrontation was just being mentioned, Tbilisi started speaking about the return of the “Hawk” (that was Irakli Kobaevitch’s nickname for his warlike character and the relevant statements – I.P.). However, he never ventured to come back to the banks of Kura. Head of the Georgian MIA Vano Merabishvili promised to welcome the former comrade “according to the law”: a criminal case was opened against Okruashvili, and the authorities are sure that “Irakli should be locked up”.

A compulsive contest 2010-02-08 18:14 The subject of the Russian aggression remains urgent in Georgia. This topic is constantly mentioned by the Georgian politicians, both the ruling party representatives and the majority of the oppositional leaders, in their public statements. The same topic is a subject for films, plays, and literature compositions and music. However, all these things are done by the grown-up full-aged people; perhaps, by those who saw the Russian armor entering the Georgian villages and the bombarded Gori with their own eyes. Although, among the common citizens, there are few witnesses of the “Russian aggression”, that is, the Russian servicemen’s aggressive actions, such as the beating and killing of the citizens, plunder and pillage.

Mimino to fly to Baku, not Moscow 2010-02-07 16:27 Vakhtang Kikabidze, the Georgian star of Soviet cinema is going to see his fans in Baku timing concerts with his 70th birthday he celebrated in 2008, the year of war in South Ossetia and had no time to mark with a jubilee tour. Buba doesn’t turn up in Moscow distantly confessing love for Russian fans.

The opposition is expecting a dialogue with Moscow 2010-02-05 23:24 Georgia is receiving guests from America and Europe: they are the US State Secretary James Steinberg and Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon. They have already met with the representatives of the authorities and the opposition. According to the media, the States promised to financially support the democracy development in the country, which is shaking with political squabbles.