Georgia’s 3+3 Dilemma: Regional Leadership or Falling into the Aggressor Neighbor’s Trap?

Nino Samkharadze [1] Since the 2020 Karabakh War, Turkey’s initiative to create the 3+3 regional cooperation platform has been viewed in a less positive light in Georgia because it involves Russia, alongside Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iran. At the same time, almost after a year from the war, ...
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What Threats Does the Rejection of the EU Financial Assistance Contain for Georgia?

Photo: European Union Nino Samkharadze[1] [This publication was produced with the financial support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation. The views, opinions and statements expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs only and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Foun...
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A Look Beyond the Red Lines in Georgian Politics: 5 Major Risks Following the Annulment of the April 19 Agreement

Nino Samkharadze[1] On July 28, the ruling Georgian Dream party withdrew from the April 19 Agreement, a deal which had been brokered through a long mediation process with the direct involvement of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The annulment of the agreement further destabili...
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Spoiler or Ambivalent Partner: the GOC and the Fate of Georgia’s European Future

Bidzina Lebanidze[1] Shota Kakabadze[2] The Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) has long served as both a social glue in Georgia and a significant marker of the contemporary Georgian national identity. However, over the last few years, the GOC has been drifting away from its historical position of moral ...
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State vs. Social Protests: Why Is the Protest Against Namakhvani HPP Unique?

Salome Kandelaki[1] A group calling themselves the “Rioni Gorge guards” have been protesting against the construction of the Namakhvani Hydro Power Plant (HPP) for more than six months. The state did not communicate with the locals until the first large-scale demonstration was held in Ku...
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Power of the Powerless? The Role of Small Parties in Georgian Politics

Nino Samkharadze[1] There is a prevalent view in Georgia that the two major parties – the Georgian Dream and the United National Movement – dictate the political forecast in the country. Regardless, the decision of the small parties to sign Michel’s document and enter parliament showed that du...
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What Does the Data Say: Partisan Divide and Skepticism towards Vaccines in Georgia?

Shota Kakabadze[1] Just a couple of days ago, the Minister of Health of Georgia remarked that the anti-vaxxer campaign had been defeated and that there was a considerable increase in the demand for vaccines. The latter might be indeed the case, if one takes into consideration how fast most of the av...
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Jean Monnet European Dialogue – Next Step towards Consensus-Oriented Politics

Nino Samkharadze[1] Although the first stage of the EU’s mediation during the ongoing Georgian political crisis initially failed, Georgian political parties continue to discuss the terms of the agreement within the EU’s mediation framework.[2] During different stages of the discussion pr...
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EU Mediation in Georgia’s Political Crisis: What did We (not) Understand?

Nino Samkharadze  [1] For five months, Georgia has faced a severe political crisis that has been worrying enough for its European partners to express unprecedented interest in the country’s ongoing political processes. Indeed, the EU has been actively involved  in attempting to solve the cri...
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