· May, 2008

Stories about Georgia from May, 2008

Georgia: Opposition Protests

  30 May 2008

Following the recent parliamentary election in the country, Resistance Georgia has posted photographs of the protest demonstrations which followed the landslide win for the ruling government party. The pro-opposition blog also posts some updates on the situation.

Georgia: Election Dissent

  28 May 2008

Steady State is critical of the outcome of last week’s parliamentary election in Georgia. The blog also criticizes the Western media and international observers for being more concerned with foreign rather than domestic policy issues.

Georgia: Iraq Deployment

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a recent survey of Georgian troops in Iraq which indicated overwhelming support of the deployment. However, the blog notes, the results of the poll are not reflected in society itself.

Caucasus: Eurovision Results

  25 May 2008

The Armenian Observer says it is satisfied with fourth place in last night's Eurovision Song Contest going to Armenia's Sirusho. However, it also raises the question of political voting in the international song contest, something which my The Caucasus Knot examines in more detail. Regardless, Unzipped: Gay Armenia says it...

Armenia/Georgia: Online Diasporan Communities

  22 May 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus examines the Internet presence of Armenian and Georgian communities in Switzerland. The blog of the Caucasus Research Resource Centers says that examining the extent of activity in online communities is one way of tracking how organized migrant communities abroad are.

Georgia: Election Observation

  21 May 2008

On the occasion of today's parliamentary election in Georgia, Social Science in the Caucasus calls for an overhaul of how international election observation missions work in the country. While new technologies have emerged in the election process, the blog says that international observers are often poorly trained and need external...

Georgia: Right to Return

  20 May 2008

Steady State comments on the passing by the UN National Assembly of a resolution recognizing the right of Georgian refugees to return to the breakaway region of Abkhazia. However, the blog says that despite its passage there was little interest shown by UN member states, most of which either abstained...

Caucasus: Eurovision Countdown

With the first of the semi-finals in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia, just days away, the countries of the South Caucasus are becoming increasingly excited about the international song contest and how their representatives will fair. Global Voices rounds up the reaction to the three songs in the Eurovision blogosphere.

Caucasus: Creative Commons

  16 May 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus posts more details, including a video, on Creative Commons and comments on the importance of introducing the licensing concept to the South Caucasus. My Caucasus Knot also weighs in on the significance of promoting Creative Commons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Georgia: Abkhazia Crisis Drones On…

Steady State is confused by the ongoing crisis between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway region of Abkhazia. The blog says while Abkhazia claims to have shot down numerous drones monitoring troop movements in the region, Georgia denies that more than one was downed. Even then, Tbilisi lays the blame...

Caucasus: US Immigration

  13 May 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus examines statistics released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service on the number of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas issued to citizens from the three South Caucasus countries. According to that data, Armenia has the most number of visas issued with Georgia second and Azerbaijan third.

Georgia: Political Advertising

  13 May 2008

My Caucasus Knot comments on the price of political advertising ahead of this month's parliamentary election in Georgia and compares the situation with that during elections in Armenia. Despite concerns with higher than normal rates for the pre-election campaign period in Armenia, the costs in Georgia are comparatively astronomical.

Georgia: Needless Confrontation?

Penny for your Thoughts comments on the opinion that support for Georgia in its current conflict with Abkhazia risks bringing the United States into needless confrontation with Russia. The blog says that contrary to that view, there are strategic reasons why Washington should support Tbilisi in its continuing spats with...

Caucasus: Subjective Well-being

  9 May 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus, the blog of the Caucasus Resource Research Centers, looks at the the subjective well-being of citizens living in all three South Caucasus republics. Although the data used for the survey is from 2006, the survey finds that the impact of poverty and unemployment is more...

Georgia: Russian Miscalculation?

Window on Eurasia highlights the opinion of a Moscow-based military analyst who likens the recent escalation of tensions between Georgia and Russia to the Winter War with Finland. According to Pavel Fel’gengauer, military affairs analyst for a Russian newspaper, Russia might have miscalculated.

Georgia: War with Russia?

The South Caucasus has always been a volatile and unstable region riven by ethnic conflict and instability. This is definitely the case in Georgia where tensions with Russia have increased to the extent that the battle of words between Tbilisi and Moscow might yet turn into war over the breakaway and defacto independent [Georgian] region of Abkhazia. The increased tension follows last month's apparent downing of a Georgian drone allegedly by a Russian MiG-29 and reports that Russian troops are being sent to Abkhazia in case of a Georgian attempt to re-take the territory by force. Russia and Georgia are playing brinkmanship again, but this time the consequences are uncertain.

Georgia: Election Video Blogging

  5 May 2008

Vlog Europe says that it will soon be visiting Georgia to conduct a seminar on video blogging as well as covering this month's parliamentary election there through the Danish SILBA organization. Writing on his own blog, Raymond Kristiansen provides more more details about the exercise and also solicits suggestions and...

Georgia: Soviet Archives Opened

  4 May 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus reports on the opening of Communist party archives to researchers in Georgia. The blog says that a working group is even releasing archival bulletins in Georgian and English. It considers the material stored in the archive of extreme interest as well as importance.

Georgia: Election Time Tensions with Russia

TOL Georgia says that whenever elections are planned, a scandal involving Russia always occurs. The comment comes after the recent apparent downing of a Georgian drone by a Russian MiG-29 and threats from Russia regarding the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Georgia: Saakashvili Addresses Breakaway Regions

  2 May 2008

Steady State comments on a televised address given by Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili to inhabitants of the country's two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. However, the blog says that apart from at times of clashes, there is little actual dialogue occurring between the sides and that Saakashvili fails...