DEC. 16 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Demand from Russia has doubled Georgia’s wine exports, media reported quoting the Georgian agriculture ministry. Russia lifted a ban on importing Georgian wine this year. Relations between the neighbours had dipped to breaking point under Georgia’ former President Mikheil Saakashvili but have since recovered.
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(News report from Issue No. 165, published on Dec. 18 2013)
DEC. 17 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has been living in New York since leaving office last month, Georgian media reported. They quoted him as saying that he was working on various projects for US universities. Ukrainian TV broadcast an interview with Mr Saakashvili supporting pro-EU protesters in Kiev.
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(News report from Issue No. 165, published on Dec. 18 2013)
NOV. 28 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — At a summit in Vilnius, Georgia signed an agreement on further integration with the EU. The agreement will lead to more beneficial trade rules for Georgia and is expected to be ratified by parliament in 2014. The deal had been expected but, with Ukraine and Armenia ducking out, was warmly received.
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(News report from Issue No. 163, published on Dec. 4 2013)
NOV. 25 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Georgia has resumed sending tangerines to Russia after a seven-year gap, news organisations reported quoting Georgian officials. The resumption of fruit exports to Russia is another indication of the normalisation of Georgia- Russia relations after a brief war in 2008.
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(News report from Issue No. 162, published on Nov. 27 2013)
NOV. 20 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Mikheil Saakashvili, 45, the now ex-president of Georgia, is not leaving on a high. His party’s candidate for president was trounced at the polls in October and he may face trial for alleged crimes committed during his time in office.
Nevertheless, his tenure saw Georgia go from failed state to top reformer. Georgia’s leaders now have to earn their mandate through elections rather than by revolution.
Mr Saakashvili spearheaded an ambitious programme of reforms firing the entire corrupt traffic police force overnight, slashing red tape and improving services. The World Bank now ranks Georgia 9th in the world for ease of doing business. Stiff penalties and better salaries eliminated petty corruption and the country’s crumbling infrastructure was improved.
But he was always a moderniser before a democrat and these gains were often made using strong-arm tactics. Georgia’s courts were at the mercy of the prosecutor’s office, the prison population mushroomed and torture and rape were widespread throughout the penal system. He mishandled relations with Russia, leading to a brief but disastrous war in 2008.
Most Georgians are glad to see him go and Mr Saakashvili has said he will stay out of politics. For now.
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(News report from Issue No. 161, published on Nov. 20 2013)
NOV. 17 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Giorgi Margvelashvili took the oath to become the new president of Georgia, ending a decade dominated by Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the 2003 Rose Revolution. Mr Margvelashvili is an ally of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, Mr Saakashvili’s biggest rival. Mr Margvelashvili has pledged to improve relations with Russia.
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(News report from Issue No. 161, published on Nov. 20 2013)
NOV. 10 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Georgia’s President-elect Giorgi Margvelashvili said he might attend the 2014 Winter Olympics Games in Sochi, Russia. His attendance would be a major boost to Russia-Georgia relations which were strained to breaking point by a personal feud between outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
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(News report from Issue No. 160, published on Nov. 13 2013)
NOV. 5 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — In a snub to Georgia’s out-going President Mikheil Saakahsvili, Giorgi Margvelashvili, the president-elect, said he would not be taking up residence in the new presidential palace. Mr Margvelashvili said instead he would turn the controversial glass-domed building overlooking Tbilisi into a university.
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(News report from Issue No. 159, published on Nov. 6 2013)
NOV. 3 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — In one of his last acts as Georgia’s President, Mikheil Saakashsvili pardoned ex-interior minister Bacho Akhalaia who was found guilty last week of abuse of power. Mr Saakashsvili has said the case is politically motivated. Akhalaia remains in prison, though, waiting for a new trial on a different case to begin.
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(News report from Issue No. 159, published on Nov. 6 2013)
OCT. 27 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Giorgi Margvelashvili, a 44-year-old academic and an ally of PM Bidzina Ivanishvili, won a presidential election in Georgia with 60% of the vote. The vote marks the departure from power of Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s leader since a revolution in 2003. European monitors said the election had been clean.
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(News report from Issue No. 158, published on Oct. 30 2013)