Georgian political crisis with George Khelashvili of Georgian Dream

The political crisis in the Republic of Georgia continues.

Parliament still isn’t functioning, and the accusations of creeping authoritarianism against the ruling party are getting louder.

On this episode of Black Diplomats host Terrell Starr talks to George Khelashvili, an MP in the ruling Georgian Dream party. Khelashvili compares the situation in Georgia to the polarization in the United States, and he’s willing to get into details. From political prisoners to unfair elections, Khelashvili says it’s mostly a lot of hot rhetoric, and encourages the opposition party to take their seats so government can get back to work.

Thank you for listening!

Dr. George Khelashvili

George Khelashvili is majority Georgian Dream MP, serving as first deputy chairman of the foreign relations committee. Previously, he directed the Research Center of the Parliament of Georgia; served as adviser to the chairman of Georgian Parliament; and also worked for Georgian Foreign Ministry first as policy analyst, then as deputy director of the Political Department, and, finally, as deputy chief of mission at the Georgian Embassy in Washington, D.C.. George Khelashvili taught International Relations at Tbilisi State University for over 20 years. He graduated from Tbilisi State University and then obtained M.Phil. degree and later defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Oxford.

Follow him on Twitter.