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On November 15, 2024, the Sector for the Caucasus of the Center for post-Soviet Studies of IMEMO in cooperation with the Center for the Caucasian, Central Asian, and Volga-Ural Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences held the 82nd Session of the Scientific and Practical Seminar “The Caucasus in the Past and Present” on the topic “Parliamentary Elections in Georgia: Preliminary Results” with international participation.

The seminar session was held in the form of a roundtable, in a mixed format, as Georgian experts spoke online from Tbilisi.

The seminar was moderated by Vadim Mukhanov, Head of the Sector for the Caucasus of the Center for post-Soviet Studies of IMEMO, Cand. of Science (History).

Eduard Soloviev, Head of the Center, Cand. of Science (Politics), welcomed the participants of the seminar.

At the seminar the reports were made by:

• Archil Sikharulidze (SIKHA Foundation, Georgia) – “Results of the Parliamentary Elections in Georgia”;
• Alexander Krylov, Chief Research Fellow of the Sector, Dr. of Science (History), – “The Results of the Elections in Georgia and Russian-Georgian Relations”;
• Vladimir Novikov, Head of the Caucasus Department of the Institute of CIS Countries, Cand. of Science (History),  – “The Factor of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the Parliamentary Elections in Georgia”;
• Khatiya Khutuashvili (Georgia), Research Fellow of the Center for the Caucasian, Central Asian, and Volga-Ural Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, – “The Role of Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in the Elections and Post-Election Political Escalation”;
• M. Tatarnikova, Intern of the Sector, – “Bidzina Ivanishvili and his Role in Modern Georgian politics”;
• Nino Skvortsova (SIKHA Foundation, Georgia) – “Duality of Political Communication between the Authorities and Society: the Case of the 2024Georgian Elections”.

The presentations were followed by a broad discussion, which was attended by experts representing IMEMO, Lomonosov Moscow State University, MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, HSE University and the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.