The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe supports Georgia's EU candidacy

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), one of Europe's largest political parties, has endorsed a resolution urging EU Member States to support Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine's candidacy status at the next Council meeting at the end of June. The resolution was passed on June 4 at the ALDE Congress in Dublin. It recognized the "historic choice of the people of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine to join the European Union" and praised the "decades of struggle for freedom and democracy" in the three countries. 

The document says that letting the three countries join the EU would make their democracies stronger and "free them from Russian pressure." It also says that more work needs to be done in important areas like the rule of law, an independent judiciary, media freedom, power distribution, and human rights. Moreover, ALDE condemned Russia's ongoing invasion and annexation of Ukrainian territory, as well as its occupation of Georgian and Moldovan lands. 

It is noteworthy that in addition to Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Free Democrats, and the Republican Party, the ALDE has just approved Lelo for Georgia and Girchi – More Freedom as full and associate members. 

Georgian and Italian presidents met in Rome

Salome Zourabichvili, the president of Georgia, has launched a tour to Rome, where she met with Sergio Mattarella on June 7 to discuss Georgia's desire to join the European Union and Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

At a joint news conference following the meeting, President Zourabichvili noted that Italy is "one of those European nations that has been the most steadfast in its support for Georgia's integration and stands with us on this challenging but vital path." The backing of Italy and Europe for Georgia's EU application, she continued, would be a relevant option for the 88 percent of Georgians who desire Georgia's integration. In turn, the leader of Italy noted that Georgia's millennia-long history has contributed to the grand family of European civilization, so it is only fitting that it wishes to join the European Union as a full member today.

In her speech, the President also mentioned "Russia's brutal aggression" against Ukraine and stated that while the attack may continue in different forms, it has already failed because Europe has responded with more composure and unity than ever before. The Italian president highlighted the 2008 Russo-Georgian conflict and Russia's rule of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia while criticizing the attack on Ukraine. Parties concurred that, from a security standpoint, the EU should adopt a strategy to safeguard peace and stability in the Black Sea and South Caucasus, which affects not just Georgia but the entire international community. Additionally, President Zourabichvili declared that Georgia has no alternative to NATO.

Georgian Dream officials asserted that the opposition politician who was attacked downtown in Tbilisi is a Bolshevik

In a speech on June 7, Irakli Kobakhidze, chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and majority leader in the Georgian Parliament, condemned the Berdzenishvili brothers, accusing them of undermining Georgia's "national values." The GD spokesperson referred to the Berdzenishvili brothers, former United National Movement president Mikheil Saakashvili, European Georgia leader Giga Bokeria, and others as "Bolsheviks of the New Age" in his speech.

Davit Berdzenishvili was allegedly assaulted and harassed in downtown Tbilisi on June 6, allegedly as a result of his brother's highly outrageous remarks about Erekle II, the 18th-century king of East Georgia's Kartli-Kakheti Kingdom, which angered Georgia's ultraconservative groups and the Orthodox Christian right, among others. "Sometimes they despise Ilia Chavchavadze's poetry, sometimes they condemn Erekle II's particular political actions, and sometimes they disagree with how David Aghmashenebeli raised his children and grandkids," stated Kobakhidze. 

The leader of the ruling party claimed that the Berdzenishvili brothers are attempting to disparage the Georgian people and nation because they are well aware that in order to destroy national identity, they must step on the most holy ground upon which it is founded. According to the chairman of the ruling party, individuals dubbed "New Age Bolsheviks" are attempting to dismantle via propaganda what their ideological ancestors, the Bolsheviks, “smashed with sledgehammers” a century ago.

MP Khatuna Samnidze of the Republican Party, who apparently was attacked with fellow Republican Party member Davit Berdzenishvili, stated that the Georgian Dream chair's words "encouraged violence." According to MP Samnidze, the GD leader was outraged by Levan Berdzenishvili’s criticism of billionaire and ex-prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the ruling party's "king, primary backer, and informal head," and not with Berdzenishvili’s statements regarding Georgia's king.

Since establishing the Republican Party as Soviet dissidents in the 1970s, the Berdzenishvili brothers have had a lengthy political career. Levan, the older brother, was a political prisoner for several years in the 1980s due to his anti-Soviet sentiments. When the United National Movement and the Georgian Dream came to power in the Parliament in 2004 and 2012, respectively, the Republican Party engaged in governing coalitions with both parties, only to subsequently break with them. Levan Berdzenishvili has resigned and is now pursuing an academic career, whilst his brother Davit Berdzenishvili continues to serve in the party.

Borjomi will be acquired by the government 

Irakli Garibashvili, the prime minister of Georgia, declared that the Georgian government would become a co-owner of the company "Borjomi." During a government meeting, he mentioned it but did not elaborate on the requirements Georgia must meet.

“The negotiations have been essentially concluded by the Ministry of the Economy.” "In one week, we will propose the topic to a government session, and the government will become a stakeholder of “Borjomi”, thus resolving the issue," Garibashvili commented.

Since 2013, a controlling stake in "Borjomi" has been controlled by Alfa Group, whose founder is the sanctioned Russian billionaire Mikhail Friedman. Because of sanctions against Russia, both bottling plants in Borjomi have been shut down since April 29.

Borjomi's population is mostly employed at a company that produces mineral water. Additionally, the yearly budget of the Borjomi industries contained up to 12 million GEL. The local opposition asserts that the closing of the plants will place not just the company's employees in a tough position but also the whole municipality.