The European Union and Georgia have maintained relations since 1992, following an agreement between the former European Community and the newly independent Georgia. In 2006, a five-year "Action Plan" of rapprochement was implemented in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). In 2009, relations between the two were further upgraded under the auspices of Eastern Partnership. In 2016, a comprehensive Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia went into force, providing Georgian citizens with visa-free travel to the EU, as well as access to some sectors of the European Single Market. Following Brexit, most of the existing EU-Georgia agreements applicable to the United Kingdom were renegotiated and agreed upon in 2019 bilaterally with the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development is a ministry of the government of Georgia in charge of regulating economic activity in the country. Its head office is in Tbilisi. It is currently headed by Levan Davitashvili.
Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia is a political party in Georgia. The party was established on 19 April 2012 by the billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili. Georgian Dream and its partners in a coalition also named Georgian Dream won majorities in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 general elections. The party is currently led by Irakli Garibashvili as Party Chairman and Irakli Kobakhidze as Prime Minister.
Irakli Garibashvili is a Georgian politician and a former business executive who served as the prime minister of Georgia between 22 February 2021 and 29 January 2024. He had previously served as prime minister from 20 November 2013 until his resignation on 30 December 2015. Garibashvili is a member of the Georgian Dream party and has served as the party’s chairman since February 1, 2024. He entered politics with his long-time associate Bidzina Ivanishvili, in October 2012.
In 2013, Georgia finalized its first-ever peaceful change of power and transition to a parliamentary republic. The Georgian Dream-dominated government, which came to power after defeating, in October 2012, the United National Movement led by the outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili, promised more democratic reforms. The Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili won the presidential election in October 2013 and the new constitution significantly reducing the authority of the president in favor of those of the prime minister and government came into effect. In November, the leader of the Georgian Dream, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili announced his withdrawal from politics as promised earlier, and the Parliament of Georgia approved his nominee, Irakli Garibashvili, as the country's new head of government.
Giorgi Margvelashvili is a Georgian academic and politician who was the fourth president of Georgia, in office from 17 November 2013 to 16 December 2018.
The first government of Irakli Garibashvili was the government of Georgia, led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili from November 20, 2013 until December 30, 2015. The cabinet mostly consisted of the members of the preceding Ivanishvili government, dominated by the Georgian Dream coalition, which had to win approval by the parliament after the October 2013 presidential election as envisaged by the recent constitutional amendments. Garibashvili was named by Bidzina Ivanishvili as his successor as Prime Minister on his voluntary resignation from the government. Garibashvili himself resigned in December 2015 and was succeeded by Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
Giorgi Kvirikashvili is a Georgian politician who was Prime Minister of Georgia from 30 December 2015 to 13 June 2018. Prior to that he was Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development from 25 October 2012 until 1 September 2015, Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1 September 2015 until 30 December 2015, and Deputy Prime Minister from 26 July 2013 until 30 December 2015. Kvirikashvili has led initiatives to advance Euro-Atlantic and European integration and highlight Georgia as an attractive location for foreign investment.
The following lists events that happened during 2015 in Georgia.
Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on 8 October 2016 to elect the 150 members of Parliament. The ruling Georgian Dream coalition, led by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, sought a second term in office. Opposition parties included the former ruling party and main opposition, the United National Movement (ENM); the Free Democrats, formerly a member of the Georgian Dream coalition and led by Irakli Alasania; and the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia.
The following lists events that happened during 2016 in Georgia.
The second government of Giorgi Kvirikashvili was the government of Georgia, with Giorgi Kvirikashvili as its head as the country's Prime Minister from 26 November 2016 to 13 June 2018. The cabinet was formed after the victory of the incumbent Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia party in the October 2016 parliamentary election. On 26 November 2016, the new government, which retained most members of the preceding one, was approved by the Parliament of Georgia in the vote of confidence, with 110 votes in favor; 19 members—representing the opposition United National Movement and Alliance of Patriots of Georgia parties—voted against. The government became defunct following Kvirikashvili's resignation on 13 June 2018. It was succeeded by the government of Mamuka Bakhtadze.
The following lists events in 2017 in Georgia.
Dimitri Kumsishvili is a Georgian politician who has served as the country's First Deputy Prime Minister from 27 November 2016 to 13 June 2018 and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development from 13 November 2017 to 13 June 2018.
The following lists events in 2018 in Georgia.
Mamuka Bakhtadze is a Georgian politician who served as the country's Prime Minister from 20 June 2018 until 2 September 2019. Bakhtadze announced his official statement about resignation via Facebook post. He had previously served as Minister of Finance (2017–2018) and, prior to that, executive director of the Georgian Railway company (2013–2017).
Giorgi Gakharia is a Georgian politician who served as the 14th Prime Minister of Georgia from 8 September 2019 until his resignation on 18 February 2021.
Nikanor "Nika" Melia is a Georgian politician, former chairman of the United National Movement party and former member of Parliament of Georgia. He was a member of parliament of Georgia from United National Movement from 2016 to 2019 and from 2020 to 2021. He holds a master's degree in International Relations from Oxford Brookes University.
Individuals and events related to Georgia in 2021.
The second government of Irakli Garibashvili was the government of Georgia, led by Irakli Garibashvili as the Prime Minister from February 22, 2021 until January 29, 2024. Following the resignation of Giorgi Gakharia, the ruling Georgian Dream party nominated former Prime Minister and then-Minister of Defence Irakli Garibashvili to form a government. His cabinet was quickly confirmed by the Parliament four days later. The government was dissolved after Prime Minister Garibashvili's resignation on January 29th 2024. Garibashvili cited the rotation process as the main reason for his resignation, implying that other people in the ruling party should also be given a chance to lead. Garibashvili took up the offer to become the Chairman of the Georgian Dream party.
