What's happening in Georgia? In October 2024, the Georgian Dream party extended its 12 years in power following rigged elections. A month later, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced Georgia was freezing its application to become a member of the European Union. His speech sparked outrage, and daily public protests. Police, special forces and state-approved heavies (or 'titushkies') were deployed to brutally supress protests and target protestors and journalists. Repressive laws (FARA, the Law on Grants) were enacted to make it almost impossible for NGOs, civil society groups, independent media and lawyers to remain solvent, and to challenge the government... but still they do.
What is the story of Georgian Dream, and its backer, the billionaire oligarch Bidzhina Ivanishvili? When did this nominally 'pro-European' government cast off its mask and reveal its desire to create a Russian-style authoritarian state in pro-European Georgia?
English language podcast about the situation in Georgia.
#GeorgiaProtests #TerrorInGeorgia
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What's happening in Georgia? In October 2024, the Georgian Dream party extended its 12 years in power following rigged elections. A month later, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced Georgia was freezing its application to become a member of the European Union. His speech sparked outrage, and daily public protests. Police, special forces and state-approved heavies (or 'titushkies') were deployed to brutally supress protests and target protestors and journalists. Repressive laws (FARA, the Law on Grants) were enacted to make it almost impossible for NGOs, civil society groups, independent media and lawyers to remain solvent, and to challenge the government... but still they do.
What is the story of Georgian Dream, and its backer, the billionaire oligarch Bidzhina Ivanishvili? When did this nominally 'pro-European' government cast off its mask and reveal its desire to create a Russian-style authoritarian state in pro-European Georgia?
English language podcast about the situation in Georgia.
#GeorgiaProtests #TerrorInGeorgia
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On 28 November last year, the man many Georgian's refer to as their 'so-called Prime Minister', Irakli Kobakhidze, announced that the ruling party, Georgian Dream, was pausing the country's participation in the EU membership process until 2028. Supporters of Georgian democracy poured onto the streets, where they were met over the next two weeks with a violent response from state security. Georgians continue to protest, despite further repressive laws designed to discourage peaceful protest and undermine civil society, the democratic opposition and Georgia's remaining independent media.
Stephen Matthews, a writer and filmmaker based in the UK, speaks to those involved in the peaceful protests and the wider opposition to authoritarianism in Georgia.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
