MARCH 6 (The Bulletin) — Although some bars and restaurants have now been allowed to reopen, there were more protests in Georgia against the government’s anti-coronavirus 9pm – 5am curfew. Georgia has seen some of the most dogged protests against its government’s coronavirus restrictions.
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— This story was published in issue 475 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 15 2021
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
MARCH 4 2021 (The Bulletin) — WizzAir, the Hungarian low-cost airline, said that although the coronavirus pandemic is easing, it is still too early to say when it will resume flights from Kutaisi in Georgia. WizzAir started flying from Kutaisi in 2012 and had turned it into a major hub linking Georgia to Europe. At its peak in 2019, WizzAir had flown to 39 destinations from Kutaisi.
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— This story was published in issue 474 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 5 2021
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
MARCH 3 2021 (The Bulletin) — A Georgian soldier shot himself with his rifle, Georgia’s ministry of defence said. It said that the cause of the suicide was “family-related problems”, although this has not been independently confirmed. Suicides in the military are less common in Georgia than in neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan where bullying and hazing are still part of army life.
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— This story was published in issue 474 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 5 2021
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
MARCH 1 2021 (The Bulletin) — Buta Airways, the government-owned Azerbaijani low cost airline, said that it would resume its flight schedule between Baku and Tbilisi on March 19, an important step towards normalising aviation routes in the South Caucasus. AZAL, the Azerbaijani flag carrier, set up Buta Airways in Sept. 2017 to fly mainly to Turkey and Russia.
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— This story was published in issue 474 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 5 2021
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
MARCH 1 2021 (The Bulletin) — Charles Michael, President of the European Council, flew to Tbilisi to mediate in a political stand-off between the Georgian Dream coalition government and opposition forces, led by the United National Movement party (UNM ). The stand-off, which started in October after disputed parliamentary elections, intensified in February after the arrest of UNM leader Nika Melia and the resignation of Giorgi Gakharia as PM. At a negotiation session chaired by Mr Michael the opposition agreed to scale back protest plans in favour of more dialogue.
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— This story was published in issue 474 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 5 2021
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
FEB. 28 2021 (The Bulletin) — Video footage has emerged of senior officials in the ruling Georgian Dream coalition government flouting coronavirus rules at a party hosted at a property in Tbilisi owned by a millionaire donor. The footage, which was aired on an opposition-supporting TV channel, showed Georgian Dream party chairman Irakli Kobakhidze and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze socialising at the party without wearing masks and apparently ignoring social distancing rules.
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— This story was published in issue 474 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 5 2021
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
FEB. 7 2021 (The Bulletin) — Hundreds of people in Tbilisi and Batumi protested against a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The curfew comes into force each night at 9pm and is lifted at 5am. Anybody out on the streets during this time is fined. Georgia has seen some of the most well-supported anti-lockdown protests in the FSU.
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— This story was first published in issue 471 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
FEB. 5 2021 (The Bulletin) — A court in Tskhinvali, the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, sentenced a Georgian man to 12-1/2 years in prison for what it said was an illegal border crossing, a case that will raise tension between Georgia and Russia, South Ossetia’s main backer. Zaza Gakheladze was detained in July by Russian soldiers who patrol the border between South Ossetia and Georgia. The EU has called for his release. Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia after it fought a war with Georgia in 2008.
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— This story was first published in issue 471 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
FEB. 3 2021 (The Bulletin) — The Tbilisi city authorities closed Vake Park, one of the city’s favourite and largest parks, for renovation. Residents are worried that the park will be given a heavy-handed makeover and have said that they like the dilapidated feel of the park and space that it gives them. City officials have said they will retain the park’s character.
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— This story was first published in issue 471 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021
FEB. 2/3 2021 (The Bulletin) — Armenia’s Central Bank raised its key interest rate to 5.5% from 5.25% to strengthen its currency, the dram, which has dropped 6% since it lost a war against Azerbaijan for control of Nagorno-Karabakh last year. In neighbouring Georgia, the Central Bank there kept its key interest rate steady at 8% because it said that inflation had stalled because of the pandemic.
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— This story was first published in issue 471 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin
— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021