So, the @bbcnewslive.bsky.social published its investigation. I was among the protesters sprayed by the water cannon laced with a WW1-era chemical that night. This is me afterwards. The symptoms didn’t go away: the burning, the coughing, the shortness of breath stayed with me and [1/2]

Georgia just became the first country in Europe where a WW1-era chemical weapon was used against peaceful protesters. According to a BBC investigation, water cannons were laced with camite - a toxic compound from 1930s with long-lasting, dangerous effects. [1/5] www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

As the grandson of a man who embodied courage, dignity, and unwavering duty, this Remembrance Day is both national and deeply personal for me – his values remain with me every single day. [1/7]

🧵“Sanctions Bubble”-How 🇬🇪 Became Russia’s Safe Haven for Sanctions Evasion 🇬🇪💰🇷🇺 The war in Ukraine reshaped global trade flows, but in Georgia, it created a bubble of profit around sanctions evasion, empowering oligarch and capturing the state. [1/12] fpc.org.uk/dealing-with...

From Kyiv in 3 days to [...] - please fill the gap. And Ukrainians don't even have Tomahawks... yet - it is proven that best defence against them is tortoise formation.

This is Ms. Aza from #Gagra - the woman who secretly buried those executed in #Abkhazia, risking her own life. Now, GD regime police fined her for a “violation.” I can’t imagine a more painful scene. What did this heroic woman do wrong? Wore an “illegal” face mask somewhere?

#Putin is the only one responsible for Putin's war - and I am very 'happy' that #Merkel's mask is falling off. Misperception of #Russia, being a #Putinversteher, endangering security of the European continent and responsibility for all the mess we're in now - that's her legacy.

🇬🇪 In my recent interview with TVP WORLD, I discussed the mass protests in Georgia on October 4th - and what they reveal about the state of democracy and governance in the country. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BLf...

🗳️ The lowest voter turnout in Georgia’s municipal election history. The regime wanted a referendum on its legitimacy? The people have spoken - with silence.

Georgian Nightmare propagandists brag, but lie: 1.) GD froze bank accounts of ISFED - Georgia's oldest & most respected election observer; 2.) GD DID NOT invite OSCE/ODIHR - and utilized Lukashenko's trick by 'inviting' them a couple weeks before the election, [1/2]

🇩🇪 Today we congratulate #Germany on Unity Day - a celebration of freedom, resilience, and democracy. The fall of the Berlin Wall showed the world that no division is eternal, and that freedom always finds its way. [1/9]

One of Georgia’s oldest non-partisan independent think tanks and research centers, the Georgian Institute of Politics, has succumbed to pressure and is forced to suspend its operations indefinitely. Yet another example of authoritarian and draconian Georgian Nightmare.

MOLDOVA - won! Kremlin's machinations failed. Despite #Russia's all-in, they lost in #Moldova tonight 🇲🇩 Great night for #Europe!

#Durov’s story about “mysterious” French secret services is empty theater. No proof on #Moldova. But #Telegram’s compliance with #Kremlin requests against RU opposition channels is well documented. “Private”? Not really - default E2E off, metadata on.

Dear 🇲🇩 #Moldova, defend your democracy and European choice. Do not repeat 🇬🇪 our mistakes - don’t let Russia in again: it is hell difficult to get rid of their nightmares.

#Moldova banned the crew of the Georgian governmental propaganda channel #Imedi from entry—the absolutely right way to deal with Russian propagandists spreading anti-EU narratives. EU should follow! @euingeorgia.bsky.social / @ec.europa.eu / @europarl.europa.eu

First of all: solidarity with 🇵🇱 Poland. Poland is a country that we, Georgians, and I personally, feel especially close to. Shared pain from RU occupations, Poland’s solidarity during RU's invasion of GE in 2008, and unwavering support for GE's European future have bound our nations together. [1/7]

🇦🇲🇦🇿 Congratulations to our beloved neighbors — at last, this bloody chapter in the history of the #Caucasus has closed. The strings of Russian control have been severed, and a new path toward peace has emerged. May peace & prosperity bless #Armenia, #Azerbaijan, and the entire region. [1/7]

“It has long been Georgian Dream’s strategy to gradually cut Georgia’s institutional and symbolic ties with the West,” George Melashvili, director of the Europe-Georgia Institute, said. www.euractiv.com/section/poli...

🇬🇪 Georgian Dream is cracking down on free speech - weaponizing the Communications Commission against TV Pirveli & TV Formula for using words like "regime", "Russification", "clan court" & others. This is not regulation. It’s censorship. Freedom of speech is under attack.

🚨 At Mariam Lashkhi’s request, a 19-year-old girl is jailed for 12 days. A “lawmaker” obsessed with “Masonic demons” - who’s done nothing for the country - sent a teenager to prison. What could be more Soviet, more humiliating than this? Remember this when you shake her hand.

there is the beautiful theory that academics want to stand for better things & then there is the sordid reality that (especially German) academics continue *directly* collaborating with key perpetrators in #Georgia. Here my open letter to @ralfmichaels.bsky.social of the @maxplanck.de who is...

In 1919 Georgia celebrated Independence Day with girls from “Shevardeni” marching in the streets of Tbilisi - today, pro-democracy forces recreated this march. Georgia’s first republic was one of the first countries in the world to grant women right to vote! 🇬🇪

The most meaningful way to celebrate Georgia’s Independence Day 🇬🇪 is by listening to Lasha Bakradze’s brilliant lecture on Friedrich-Werner Graf von der Schulenburg — the German diplomat whose pivotal support was instrumental in Georgia’s 1918 declaration of independence.

🇬🇪 Today, Georgia marks its Independence Day — a short-lived freedom, deprived and crushed by the Russian Empire's aggression, yet the foundation of our modern state. Despite brutal occupation and repression, Georgia will rise. The regime shall fall. Our future is with Europe. Our place is in the EU.

🇬🇪 Georgia's biggest & most popular music festival OpenAir turned into protest manifesto - here's the speech by Georgia's most popular music band LoudSpeakers - "Down with the Russian Regime!" "Freedom to regime's prisoners!" "Fire to the oligarchy!"

Opposition leader Zurab Japaridze has been arrested - a chilling sign Georgia’s authoritarian regime is consolidating power. More to face political trials soon. Stronger reaction from the West is essential now to defend Georgia’s European future and deter Russian operation against Georgia & Europe.

A woman waves the Georgian flag in solidarity with the protesters. From her balcony, she's joining the call for the release of political prisoners and free and fair elections. The protest is a genuine grassroots movement, resonating across every corner of society. / Gela Khasaia's video.

Destined to be European, Georgia is. Guided by freedom, strong in will, unshaken in hope. May the 4th be with you! #StarWars #GeorgiaEU #MayThe4th

I heard the ballistic virus developed in Ukrainian biolabs has a rapid progression. After Serbian President Aleksandar #Vučić, Slovak Prime Minister Robert #Fico is also unlikely to attend the parade in #Moscow on May 9. The reason is the same as in Vučić's case - he has fallen ill (unbelievable!)

The 3 day "ceasefire" proposed by the #Kremlin is a deception, designed solely to serve RU's interests - not a gesture of goodwill. [1/2]

#Ukraine knows very well that agreements with #Russia respected only if there is strength behind them. But I also want to remind an episode from Georgian history - the slaughter of #Sukhumi - here is an excerpt from Andrei Kozyrev's book: [1/4]

✝️ Christus surréxit! Tonight, I celebrated Easter - and, coincidentally, my birthday - on Rustaveli Avenue. To me, being a Christian has always meant standing for truth, love, and justice, serving my homeland and striving for a better world. [1/3]

While Georgian Nightmare attempts to vilify Gakharia over his handling of the Chorchana crisis, Russian companies are preparing to launch direct flights to the illegally occupied Sukhumi Airport starting in May.

Wannabe Rasputin and Kremlin ideologue Alexander Dugin praised the Georgian government in a Telegram post promoting a Russian-led Eurasian “macro-state.” (1/3)

Today Nino Zautashvili and Vasil Ivanov-Chikvani were fired from the public First Channel. There’s so much to say - about professionalism, repression, and shamelessness - but you already know. (1/2)

Propaganda is expensive. The immense gaslighting of Georgian population is implemented with unlimited resources - in past THREE months alone, propaganda pages & media spent $169,500 USD on ads only (not even mentioning trolls, bots & "hidden propaganda").

What’s unfolding in #Georgia right in front of our eyes is not just authoritarian drift, or democratic backsliding - it is a full-on dismantling of democracy & Russification of Georgia. Here's what the new wave of laws means and why we should all be alarmed. [1/10]

Giorgi Targamadze, deputy director of Formula TV & one of Georgia's most influential TV anchors, firmly refuses to participate in an illegitimate investigative commission created to accommodate Kremlin demands, undermining Georgia's national interests. [1/7]

💭🇪🇺

Let's not forget: Zelensky agreed a full ceasefire. It was Putin who refused; US & Russia agreed to keep negotiating. Success of RU’s demand to cease foreign military assistance to UA disseminated through a RU version of the readout seems very unlikely; a hockey match, on the other hand…

Are we getting closer to this tiny rebranding? 💭

🟠 My first [serious] TV interview is connected to @rferl.org.web.brid.gy and its outstanding team. In June 2018 (how quickly time flies!), Gogi Gvakharia invited me to participate in a program about... [1/8]

RFE/RL provides life-changing journalism in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, critically important for countering authoritarian narratives. There is simply no equivalent - only dangerous, propaganda mouthpieces. [1/3]

Together for Europe!🤝Many cities, one voice. May we never forget: Georgians proudly defended this flag long before it became trendy! 🇬🇪🇪🇺😉 Saturday 15 March in many cities across Europe. #TogetherForEurope #EuropeItsUs

Two excellent lecturers, Ira Kherkheulidze & Giorgi Tsertsvadze, have been dismissed from Tbilisi State University on political grounds. Both are exceptional educators and principled citizens. Academic freedom... [1/2]

So, in recent history of #Europe , there was one particular episode when great European powers cooperated against a common enemy instead of infighting - ironically, it was… Crimean war, and didn’t end well for #Russia. [this time, a 🧵 [1/12]

🇺🇦❤️✊ #Ukraine

Day 80 of the protest against rigged election & Russian regime in Georgia - alive and kicking. 2 demands only - [1] new fair elections, and [2] freedom to all political prisoners of the regime. European spirit is very much alive ;) #believeinEU