Events in the year 2012 in Georgia.
Incumbents
National President: Mikheil Saakashvili (since January 25, 2004) Prime Minister: Nika Gilauri (since February 6, 2009), Vano Merabishvili (since June 30, 2012), Bidzina Ivanishvili (since October 25, 2012) Chairperson of Parliament: David Bakradze (since June 7, 2008), David Usupashvili (since October 21, 2012)
Autonomous republics
Adjara Chairman of the Government: Levan Varshalomidze (since July 20, 2004), Archil Khabadze (since October 30, 2012) Chairman of the Supreme Council: Mikheil Makharadze (since December 2, 2008), Avtandil Beridze (since October 28, 2012)
Abkhazia Chairman of Government (-in-exile): Giorgi Baramia (since June 15, 2009) Chairman of the Supreme Council (-in-exile): Elguja Gvazava (since March 20, 2009)
Disputed territories
Abkhazia President: Alexander Ankvab (since May 29, 2011) Vice President: Mikhail Logua (since September 26, 2011) Prime Minister: Leonid Lakerbaia (since September 27, 2011) Chairman of People's Assembly: Nugzar Ashuba (since April 3, 2002), Valeri Bganba (since April 3, 2012)
South Ossetia President: Vadim Brovtsev (acting; December 11, 2011 – April 19, 2012), Leonid Tibilov (since April 19, 2012) Prime Minister: Vadim Brovtsev (since August 5, 2009) Chairman of Parliament: Zurab Kokoyev (acting; October 5, 2011 – July 2, 2012), Stanislav Kochiev (since July 2, 2012).
Events
January
January 8 – Georgia's Maritime Transport Agency announces 15 Georgian sailors held hostage by pirates for 16 months off the coast of Somalia are released through the government's efforts.Somalia pirates free Georgian sailors. AFP via Google News. January 8, 2012. Accessed January 8, 2012. January 10 – Archaeological digs at the Monastery of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste in Abanotubani in downtown Tbilisi unearth several structures and items, predating the establishment of Tbilisi as the capital of Iberia in the 5th century.Unique Discovery at Abanotubani Archeological Digs. InterPressNews. January 10, 2011. Accessed January 10, 2011. ()Unique discoveries in Tbilisi. GHN News Agency. January 10, 2011. Accessed January 10, 2012. January 18 – In breakaway South Ossetia, Alla Dzhioyeva, the disqualified apparent victor of the November 2011 presidential election, announces her withdrawal from the Russian-mediated agreement with the outgoing leadership, condemning the planned March 25 runoff as "illegal".Crisis Watch 102 . International Crisis Group. February 1, 2012. Accessed February 2, 2012. January 26 – Georgia and Turkey agree to jointly restore Oshki and Ishkhani, the medieval Georgian cathedrals in northeastern Turkey, in exchange of the reconstruction of the Ottoman-era mosques of Aziziye and Ahmediye in Georgia's Batumi and Akhaltsikhe, respectively.Georgia, Turkey agree to build mosque and restore churches. Trend News Agency. January 27, 2012. Accessed January 28, 2012.Nika Rurua Commented Georgian-Turkish agreement on cultural Monuments . The Georgian Times. January 28, 2012. Accessed January 28, 2012. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanı Ertuğrul Günay: "Batum'daki yıkılan Aziziye Camii için Gürcistan bize bir yer tahsisi yapacak ve orada bir cami yapacağız". Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism. January 26, 2012. Accessed January 28, 2012. January 30 – President of the United States Barack Obama and President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili meet in the Oval Office and discuss the bilateral cooperation, including the possibility of a free trade agreement.White House: Obama will affirm US support for Georgia's current borders in Oval Office meeting. Chicago Tribune. January 30, 2012. Accessed January 31, 2012.Remarks by President Obama and President Saakashvili of Georgia After Bilateral Meeting (January 30) . Embassy of the United States to Georgia. January 30, 2012. Accessed January 31, 2012.
February
February 6 – Anatoliy Bibilov, a runner-up in the annulled presidential race in breakaway South Ossetia announces his withdrawal from the planned March 25 repeat election.Bibilov Quits South Ossetia Poll. RIA Novosti. February 6, 2012. Accessed February 6, 2012. February 13 – An explosive planted on an Israeli diplomatic car is safely defused by police in Tbilisi, with Israel blaming Iran for an attempted attack.Israel says Iran behind India, Georgia attacks. Reuters. February 13, 2012. Accessed February 13, 2012. February 14 – The Georgian police says a man from breakaway Abkhazia is detained, while plotting a terrorist attack in a market in Zugdidi, western Georgia.Police Say 'Terror Plotter' Planning to Target Market in Zugdidi Arrested. Civil Georgia. February 14, 2012. Accessed February 15, 2012. February 16 – Georgia severs diplomatic relations with the South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu due to the latter's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in September 2011.Georgia Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Tuvalu. Civil Georgia. February 17, 2012. Accessed February 17, 2012. February 22 – The Ministry of Defense of Georgia announces the death of three servicemen of the Georgian Armed Forces in the line of duty in Helmand, Afghanistan, bringing the total death toll of Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan to 15 since Georgia joined the ISAF in November 2009.Three Georgian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan. Civil Georgia. February 22, 2012. Accessed February 22, 2012. February 22 – Alexander Ankvab, president of breakaway Abkhazia, survives the sixth assassination attempt as his motorcade is ambushed on the road from Gudauta to Sukhumi.Abkhazia Georgia leader Ankvab escapes deadly ambush. The BBC News. February 22, 2012. Accessed February 22. February 25 – The Ministry of Defense of Georgia presents the first-ever Georgia-produced tracked infantry fighting vehicle Lazika, developed by the Ministry's research center Delta.Georgia Presents its Infantry Fighting Vehicle 'Lazika'. Civil Georgia. February 25, 2012. Accessed February 25, 2012. February 29 – Georgia unilaterally lifts visa rules for Russia, enabling the Russian citizens to stay in Georgia without a visa for 90 days.Georgia Lifts Visa Rules for Russia. Civil Georgia. March 1, 2012. Accessed March 1, 2012. February 29 – The Russian-Georgian painter and sculptor Zurab Tsereteli opens the Museum of Modern Art, dominated by his own works, in the late 19th-century building in Tbilisi.Controversial sculptor Zurab Tsereteli opens museum in Georgian capital. The Art Newspaper. March 26, 2012. Accessed April 15, 2012.
March
March 2 – In response to Georgia's decision to unilaterally abolish visa requirements for Russian citizens, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs says Russia is ready to reciprocate, provided Georgia revises its Law on the Occupied Territories.Tbilisi to Russia: 'Reciprocate on Visa without Preconditions'. Civil Georgia. March 3, 2012. Accessed March 24, 2012. March 3 – Georgia unveils its first domestically manufactured multiple rocket launcher.Georgian-Produced Multiple Rocket Launcher Unveiled. Civil Georgia. March 3, 2012. Accessed March 10, 2012. March 4 – A Georgian police check-point at Ganmukhuri near the Abkhazian administrative boundary line comes under fire, with no casualties reported. Georgia blames the attack on the Abkhaz separatist forces, who deny the involvement.Statement of the Ministry Of Internal Affairs . Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. March 4, 2012. Accessed March 10, 2012.EUMM expresses concern at reported incident in Ganmukhuri and urges restraint on all sides. European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia. March 5, 2012. Accessed March 10, 2012. March 10 – Legislative election is held in breakaway Abkhazia, with race for most seats going into runoff held on March 24. Georgia,Abkhaz Officials Say Only 13 Of 35 Legislative Seats Filled. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. March 12, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2012. the United StatesAbkhazia de facto "Parliamentary Elections" (March 10) . Embassy of the United States to Georgia. March 10, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2012. and the European UnionEU 'Does Not Recognize Legal Framework' of Abkhaz Elections. Civil Georgia. March 12, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2012. refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the elections. March 10 – March 24 – The Georgian Land Forces and the United States Marines conduct the joint military exercises Agile Spirit–12 on Vaziani Training Area near Tbilisi.Marines, Georgian infantry brigade participate in combined training exercise. Official U.S. Marine Corps Web Site. March 17, 2012. Accessed March 23, 2012. March 20 – The Parliament of Georgia approves the reshuffled cabinet, with the new Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs Zurab Tchiaberashvili.Parliament Approves Reshuffled Cabinet . OnlineNews.GE. March 20, 2012. Accessed March 23, 2012. March 20 – The opposition politician Irakli Alasania accuses the government of creating "paramilitary groups" of supporters in western Georgia ahead of the scheduled October parliamentary election, a claim dismissed by the authorities as "incomprehensible" and "irresponsible".NSC Publishes 'Alasania's Files on Paramilitary Groups'. Civil Georgia. March 23, 2012. Accessed March 23, 2012.
April April 8 – The former security official Leonid Tibilov wins the second round of presidential election in breakaway South Ossetia, garnering 54.12% votes.Ex-KGB Chief Becomes S.Ossetia New Leader. Civil Georgia. April 9, 2012. Accessed April 15, 2012. April 10 – Georgia tests its first-ever domestically produced surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle.Georgia Tests Domestically Produced Drone. Civil Georgia. April 10, 2012. Accessed April 15, 2012. April 17 – Construction of the monastery of the Iverian Theotokos—described by the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church as "historic"—is inaugurated on Mount Makhata at Tbilisi. ივერიის ღვთისმშობლის ხატის სახელობის ტაძარი და სამონასტრო კომპლექსი ("The Monastery Complex of Iverian Theotokos") . Iveriisa.com. Accessed April 15, 2012. April 21 – A Georgian billionaire businessman and politician, Bidzina Ivanishvili, inaugurates the opposition political party Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia, with Manana Kobakhidze elected as its nominal chairman.Ivanishvili's Political Party Launched. Civil Georgia. April 21, 2012. Accessed May 12, 2012.
May
May 12 – Severe flooding hits parts of Tbilisi, resulting in five deaths and causing damage to the city's infrastructure.Deadly Flood in Tbilisi. Civil Georgia. May 13, 2012. Accessed May 13, 2012.Georgian capital Tbilisi hit by floods - five dead. BBC News. 13 May 2012. Accessed May 13, 2012. May 14 – Georgia submits a formal expression of interest to host the 16th UEFA European Football Championship in 2020. The bid is joined by Azerbaijan on May 25.Azerbaijan Joins Georgia's Euro 2020 Bid. Civil Georgia. May 25, 2012. Accessed June 5, 2012. May 26 – President Saakashvili opens Georgia's new parliament building in Kutaisi, where the Parliament holds its inaugural session to mark the country's Independence Day.Georgia opens new parliament in Kutaisi, far from the capital. The Washington Post. May 26, 2012. Accessed June 4, 2012. May 26 – FC Dila Gori wins the 2011–12 Georgian Cup, defeating FC Zestafoni 4 – 1. May 27 – Tens of thousands demonstrate in downtown Tbilisi in support of the billionaire-turned-opposition politician Bidzina Ivanishvili and his political coalition Georgian Dream.Mass opposition rally in Tbilisi, Georgia. The BBC News. May 27, 2012. Accessed June 4, 2012. May 28 – Two policemen and one local resident die in shooting at a café in the town of Gali in breakaway Abkhazia. Sukhumi and Tbilisi trade accusations over the incident.Sokhumi Accuses Tbilisi of Gali Café Attack. Civil Georgia. June 2, 2012. Accessed June 5, 2012.
June