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{{Short description|Georgian politician}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=November 2015}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2015}}
{{POV|date=April 2018|talk=Neutrality}}
{{POV|date=April 2018|talk=Neutrality}}
}}
}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Shalva Natelashvili
| name = Shalva Natelashvili
| native_name = შალვა ნათელაშვილი
| native_name = {{nobold|შალვა ნათელაშვილი}}
| native_name_lang = ka
| native_name_lang = ka
| image = Presidential candidate Shalva Natelashvili (Labor Party of Georgia) (31705405498) (cropped).jpg
| image = ShalvaNatelashvili.jpg
| citizenship = [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]]
| citizenship = [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]]
| nationality = Georgian
| nationality = Georgian
| office = Chairman of the [[Georgian Labour Party]]
| office = Leader of the [[Georgian Labour Party]]
| term_start =1995
| term_start = 1995
| term_end =
| term_end =
| predecessor = ''party established''
| predecessor = ''party established''
| successor =
| successor =
| office1 = Member of the [[Parliament of Georgia]]
| office1 = Member of the [[Parliament of Georgia]]
| term_start1 = 7 June 2008
| term_start1 = 7 June 2008
| term_end1 = 21 October 2012
| term_end1 = 21 October 2012
| term_start2 = 25 November 1995
| term_start2 = 25 November 1995
| term_end2 = 20 November 1999
| term_end2 = 20 November 1999
| constituency2 = Akhmeta
| constituency2 = Akhmeta
| term_start3 = 11 December 2020
⚫
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|02|17|df= y}}
| term_end3 = 15 February 2022<ref>{{cite news|title=Parliament suspends MP status for three opposition members, former speaker|url=https://agenda.ge/en/news/2022/331#gsc.tab=0|agency=Agenda.ge|date=27 October 2024}}</ref>
⚫
| birth_place = [[Pasanauri]], [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Georgian SSR]], [[Soviet Union|USSR]]
⚫
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|02|17|df= y}}
⚫
| death_date =
⚫
| birth_place = [[Pasanauri]], [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Georgian SSR]], [[Soviet Union|USSR]]
⚫
| death_place =
⚫
| death_date =
⚫
| party = [[Georgian Labour Party]] (1995-present)
⚫
| death_place =
⚫
| spouse = Bela Alania
⚫
| party = [[Georgian Labour Party]] (1995–present)
⚫
| children = Beka<br />Darejan
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| spouse = Bela Alania
⚫
| alma_mater = [[Tbilisi State University]] Law faculty<br />[[International Law|International Law at Diplomatic Academy under the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]<br />Leadership course|Leadership course at [[United States Department of State]]
⚫
| children = Beka<br />Darejan
| religion = [[Georgian Orthodox Church|Georgian Orthodoxy]]
⚫
| alma_mater = [[Tbilisi State University]] Law faculty<br />[[International Law|International Law at Diplomatic Academy under the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]<br />Leadership course at [[United States Department of State]]
| caption = Natelashvili in 2018
}}
}}
'''Shalva Natelashvili''' (born 17 February 1958) is a [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]n politician, a founder of the [[Georgian Labour Party]] and its chair since 1995. He is a president of the International Geopolitical Center.<ref>{{cite news|title=President of International Geopolitical Center|url=http://igcenter.ge/ge/about-igc1/president1.html|agency=IGCENTER|date=30 May 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504204358/http://igcenter.ge/ge/about-igc1/president1.html|archivedate=4 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
'''Shalva Natelashvili''' (born 17 February 1958) is a [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]n politician, a founder of the [[Georgian Labour Party]] and its chair since 1995. He is a president of the International Geopolitical Center.<ref>{{cite news|title=President of International Geopolitical Center|url=http://igcenter.ge/ge/about-igc1/president1.html|agency=IGCENTER|date=30 May 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504204358/http://igcenter.ge/ge/about-igc1/president1.html|archivedate=4 May 2016}}</ref>


==Early life and career==
==Early life and career==
Natelashvili was born in the town of [[Pasanauri]], in the northern mountainous part of Georgia. He graduated from [[Tbilisi State University]] faculty of law, in 1981 and pursued his post-graduate degree at [[Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation]], majoring in international law. In 1981, he started his career at the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia as an investigator and was promoted to the position of Prosecutor and later to Head of Department for International Relations. In 2004, he studied in the Leadership Program by the [[US State Department]].<ref>{{cite news|title=US Leadership Program|url=http://www.prezidenti.ge/mobile/index.php?party_1_id=17&lang=eng|agency=Prezidenti.ge|date=27 July 2013}}</ref> Natelashvili is an honorary envoy of the state of [[Louisiana]], a member of the International Association of Lawyers, a member of Academy of National and Social Sciences, a member of Association of International Law and has been granted a title of peace ambassador.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}
Natelashvili was born in the town of [[Pasanauri]], in the northern mountainous part of Georgia. He graduated from [[Tbilisi State University]] faculty of law, in 1981 and pursued his post-graduate degree at [[Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs USSR]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Biography|url=https://www.labour.ge/en/about-us/chairperson/article/13241--urriculum-itae-of-the-residential-andidate-of-eorgia-halva-atelashvili}}</ref> majoring in international law. In 1981, he started his career at the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia as an investigator and was promoted to the position of Prosecutor and later to Head of Department for International Relations. In 2004, he studied in the Leadership Program by the [[US State Department]].<ref>{{cite news|title=US Leadership Program|url=http://www.prezidenti.ge/mobile/index.php?party_1_id=17&lang=eng|agency=Prezidenti.ge|date=27 July 2013}}</ref> Natelashvili is an honorary envoy of the state of [[Louisiana]], a member of the International Association of Lawyers, a member of Academy of National and Social Sciences, a member of Association of International Law and has been granted a title of peace ambassador.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}


==Early political career==
==Political career==
⚫
Natelashvili started his political career in 1992 when he won a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections and became a [[majoritarian]] MP for the [[Dusheti]] region. He was then elected Head of Committee for Legal Affairs and chaired the Parliamentary Committee for First Constitution of Georgia. He is an author of the laws about citizenship, gun laws, the legal status of people without citizenship, parliamentary commissions and committees, parliamentary factions and political parties, the legal status of foreign citizens, and immigration and migration. Natelashvili also led the procedures to ensure that Georgia was integrated with international treaties of human rights.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
{{BLP unsourced section|date=April 2016}}
⚫
Natelashvili started his political career in 1992 when he won a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections and became a [[majoritarian]] MP for the [[Dusheti]] region. He was then elected Head of Committee for Legal Affairs and chaired the Parliamentary Committee for First Constitution of Georgia. He is an author of the laws about citizenship, gun laws, the legal status of people without citizenship, parliamentary commissions and committees, parliamentary factions and political parties, the legal status of foreign citizens, and immigration and migration. Natelashvili also led the procedures to ensure that Georgia was integrated with international treaties of human rights.


In 1995, Natelashvili established the first political entity, the [[Georgian Labour Party]] (GLP). Since its inception the GLP turned into an influential political force in the country. It won a series of court trials, which resulted in the legalization of free secondary school nationwide, the reduction of electricity tariff for three years and won many other legal battles, which improved social conditions of the Georgian population. GLP has never joined any other political blocs or alliances and always runs for parliament independently. However, the GLP is currently{{when|date=April 2016}} supporting the creation of a coalition government in Georgia.
In 1995, Natelashvili established the [[Georgian Labour Party]] (GLP). Since its inception the GLP turned into an influential political force in the country. It won a series of court trials, which resulted in the free secondary school nationwide, the reduction of electricity tariff for three years and won many other legal battles, which improved social conditions of the Georgian population. GLP has never joined any other political blocs or alliances and always run for parliament independently.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}


⚫
In 1995, Natelashvili won another landslide victory in the first round of the elections in the [[Dusheti]] single-member constituency.<ref>{{cite news|title=History of Georgian Elections|url=http://www.cesko.ge/files/TEA/archevnebisistoria/enghistory.pdf|agency=cesko.ge|date=28 April 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000519/http://www.cesko.ge/files/TEA/archevnebisistoria/enghistory.pdf|archivedate=4 March 2016}}</ref> He was a member of parliamentary bureau and collegium, chairman of the Elector's faction and Labour Party's faction in parliament. He also served as the co-chair of the parliamentary coalition United Georgia.
== Elections ==
⚫
In 1995, Natelashvili won another landslide victory in the first round of the elections.<ref>{{cite news|title=History of Georgian Elections|url=http://www.cesko.ge/files/TEA/archevnebisistoria/enghistory.pdf|agency=cesko.ge|date=28 April 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000519/http://www.cesko.ge/files/TEA/archevnebisistoria/enghistory.pdf|archivedate=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He was a member of parliamentary bureau and collegium, chairman of the Elector's faction and Labour Party's faction in parliament. He also served as the co-chair of the parliamentary coalition United Georgia.


In 1999, the GLP garnered 7.02 percent of the votes in the parliamentary elections. Natelashvili claimed that the elections were rigged by the ruling [[Union of Citizens of Georgia]]. The GLP performed particularly strongly in the 1998 and 2002 local elections. In 1998, the GLP received 9% of the votes nationwide and finished on 3rd place.<ref>{{cite book|author=Irakli Iremadze|url=https://history.cec.gov.ge/PDF/ElectoralHistoryOfGeorgia.pdf|publisher=[[Election Administration of Georgia|Central Election Commission of Georgia]]|title=Electoral History of Georgia: 1990-2018|date=2020|page=111}}</ref> In capital [[Tbilisi]], the GLP received 18%, ending up on second place. The party managed to make its member Lado Kakhadze be elected on the post of the chairman of [[Tbilisi City Assembly]]. However, Kakhadze was soon co-opted by the ruling Union of Citizens and he left the Labour Party.<ref name="fail">{{cite news|title= ლეიბორისტული პარტიის წარუმატებლობის მიზეზი|url=https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/1534509.html|date=2 April 2004}}</ref>
In 1998, the GLP garnered 17 percent of the votes and ended up second in the parliamentary elections where 40 percent of the Georgian population participated. However, the GLP was not allowed to use its parliamentary mandate, even though the [[OSCE]] had confirmed that the GLP won the elections. In 1998, the GLP won 20 percent of the votes in the local self-government elections, and it received 26 percent of the votes municipal elections four years later in 2002.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}


The biggest success of the Labour Party came in the 2002 Tbilisi City Assembly election, in which the GLP secured a victory, finishing on the first place with 25.5% of the vote. According to observers, the Labor Party was seen as the "[[protest vote]]", with Natelashvili attacking all facets of the political elite, both the government and other oppositionists, and being perceived as unfairly excluded by the government from the Parliament during the [[1999 Georgian parliamentary election]].<ref name="after">{{cite book |last= Wheatley|first=Jonathan|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=dGqLAAAAMAAJ|title= Georgia from National Awakening to Rose Revolution |date=2005 |publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]]|isbn= 9780754645030|page=175}}</ref> Despite securing victory, however, the GLP still did not have enough seats to elect a chairman independently, without the support of other parties.<ref>{{cite book|author=Irakli Iremadze|url=https://history.cec.gov.ge/PDF/ElectoralHistoryOfGeorgia.pdf|publisher=[[Election Administration of Georgia|Central Election Commission of Georgia]]|title=Electoral History of Georgia: 1990-2018|date=2020|pages=139–140}}</ref>
The GLP achieved big success in the parliamentary elections of 2002 where Natelashvili's party won the majority seats in [[Tbilisi City Assembly]] (Tbilisi Sakrebulo), receiving 26%.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

On 13 June 2002, in a surprise move, Natelashvili announced that he would not strive for the chairmanship of Tbilisi City Assembly, instead supporting on this position other opposition leader and future President [[Mikheil Saakashvili]], whose [[United National Movement]] only finished on 2nd place.<ref name="after"/> The decision was controversial, as the chairmanship of Tbilisi City Assembly was seen as a powerful platform from which to criticize the government, and was perceived as providing a great leverage for its holder in the run-up to the [[2003 Georgian parliamentary election]]. Natelashvili is considered to have wasted a great opportunity to further boost popularity of his party. Many have opined that Natelashvili renounced the chairmanship because he "was only talk and unable to do the real work".<ref name="fail"/>


In 2003, Natelashvili and the Georgian Labour Party acquired seats in Parliament with 12.5% of votes. Nonetheless, the party was not allowed to use its mandate, as an authorized institution illegally dissolved the parliament in the aftermath of the [[Rose Revolution]]. The rerun of the elections in 2004 was fraudulent, which left the party without the mandates. The [[European Court of Human Rights]] recognized the Georgian Labour Party and Natelashvili as the victim of the falsified elections in its decision dated 8 July 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=CASE OF THE GEORGIAN LABOUR PARTY v. GEORGIA|url=http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng-press?i=001-87446|agency=hudoc.echr.coe.int|date=8 July 2008}}</ref>
In 2003, Natelashvili and the Georgian Labour Party acquired seats in Parliament with 12.5% of votes. Nonetheless, the party was not allowed to use its mandate, as an authorized institution illegally dissolved the parliament in the aftermath of the [[Rose Revolution]]. The rerun of the elections in 2004 was fraudulent, which left the party without the mandates. The [[European Court of Human Rights]] recognized the Georgian Labour Party and Natelashvili as the victim of the falsified elections in its decision dated 8 July 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=CASE OF THE GEORGIAN LABOUR PARTY v. GEORGIA|url=http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng-press?i=001-87446|agency=hudoc.echr.coe.int|date=8 July 2008}}</ref>
Line 58: Line 60:
In November 2007, Natelashvili led the anti-governmental protest rallies and the demonstrations were forcefully dissolved.<ref>{{cite news|title=Excessive use of force against demonstrators by law enforcement officials|url=http://www.omct.org/urgent-campaigns/urgent-interventions/georgia/2007/11/d18910/|agency=OMCT.org|date=7 November 2007}}</ref> Natelashvili's house and the party were raided by special forces and searched. The party leader had to flee for several days while the prosecutor's office accused Natelashvili of state treason and organizing mass unrest.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} The government revoked all its allegations after the international community and the [[US ambassador]] to Georgia [[John F. Tefft]] intervened and cancelled the arrest warrant.
In November 2007, Natelashvili led the anti-governmental protest rallies and the demonstrations were forcefully dissolved.<ref>{{cite news|title=Excessive use of force against demonstrators by law enforcement officials|url=http://www.omct.org/urgent-campaigns/urgent-interventions/georgia/2007/11/d18910/|agency=OMCT.org|date=7 November 2007}}</ref> Natelashvili's house and the party were raided by special forces and searched. The party leader had to flee for several days while the prosecutor's office accused Natelashvili of state treason and organizing mass unrest.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} The government revoked all its allegations after the international community and the [[US ambassador]] to Georgia [[John F. Tefft]] intervened and cancelled the arrest warrant.


On 1 October 2012, Georgian-Russian billionaire [[Bidzina Ivanishvili]]'s party, the [[Georgian Dream]], took power in Tbilisi and the attacks and pressure on the Georgian Labour Party mounted. The political repercussions are steered by [[Bidzina Ivanishvili]], the de facto ruler of the country, who accused Natelashvili of having a clandestine alliance with former president of Georgia [[Mikheil Saakashvili]].{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}
On 1 October 2012, Georgian billionaire [[Bidzina Ivanishvili]]'s party, the [[Georgian Dream]], took power in Tbilisi and the attacks and pressure on the Georgian Labour Party mounted. The political repercussions are thought by some to be steered by [[Bidzina Ivanishvili]], who accused Natelashvili of having a clandestine alliance with former president of Georgia [[Mikheil Saakashvili]].{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}


Natelashvili has survived several assassination attempts, including a blast at the Georgian Labour Party's head office, which killed party activist Nino Giorgobiani. Walls, window glasses and ceiling are ruined, and one of the guards was injured.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Explosion Occurred in Front of the Labor Party Office|url=http://www.humanrights.ge/blue/index.php?a=main&pid=12598&lang=eng|agency=humanrights.ge|date=29 November 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505024731/http://www.humanrights.ge/blue/index.php?a=main&pid=12598&lang=eng|archivedate=5 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In addition, four people, including one child, were hurt and taken to the hospital. The government of Georgia blamed the explosion on the Russian special services.
Natelashvili has allegedly survived several assassination attempts, including a blast at the Georgian Labour Party's head office, which killed party activist Nino Giorgobiani. Walls, window glasses and ceiling are ruined, and one of the guards was injured.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Explosion Occurred in Front of the Labor Party Office|url=http://www.humanrights.ge/blue/index.php?a=main&pid=12598&lang=eng|agency=humanrights.ge|date=29 November 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505024731/http://www.humanrights.ge/blue/index.php?a=main&pid=12598&lang=eng|archivedate=5 May 2016}}</ref> In addition, four people, including one child, were hurt and taken to the hospital. The government of Georgia blamed the explosion on the Russian special services.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Natelashvili is married to Bela Alania (a lawyer and a writer) and has a son and a daughter.
Natelashvili is married to Bela Alania (a lawyer and a writer) and has a son Beka Natelashvili and a daughter Darejan Natelashvili.


Natelashili is often seen in the Russian-Georgian conflict zones where he organizes rallies to protest against illegal construction of borders and fences on the territory of Georgia by the [[Russian armed forces]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Natelashvili against the Borderization of Georgian territory|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfvv7gW_QKo|agency=Youtube|date=20 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Shalva Natelashvili visited the occupation line|url=http://rustavi2.com/en/news/23704|agency=Rustavi2|date=11 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Labor Party Leader in Tamarasheni|url=http://1tv.ge/en/news/view/105286.html|agency=1tv.ge|date=11 August 2015}}</ref>
Natelashili is often seen in the Russian-Georgian conflict zones where he organizes rallies to protest against illegal construction of borders and fences on the territory of Georgia by the [[Russian armed forces]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Natelashvili against the Borderization of Georgian territory|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfvv7gW_QKo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211218/cfvv7gW_QKo |archive-date=2021-12-18 |url-status=live|via=YouTube|date=20 February 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Shalva Natelashvili visited the occupation line|url=http://rustavi2.com/en/news/23704|agency=Rustavi2|date=11 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Labor Party Leader in Tamarasheni|url=http://1tv.ge/en/news/view/105286.html|agency=1tv.ge|date=11 August 2015}}</ref>

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==External links==
⚫
*[http://labour.ge/en/ Georgian Labour Party - Official Web-Page]
⚫
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160504225258/http://igcenter.ge/ge/ International Geopolitical Center - Official Web-Page]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

⚫
==External links==
⚫
*[http://labour.ge/en/ Georgian Labour Party – Official Web-Page]
⚫
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160504225258/http://igcenter.ge/ge/ International Geopolitical Center – Official Web-Page]
* {{Facebook|natelashvilishalva}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Natelashvili, Shalva}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Natelashvili, Shalva}}

Latest revision as of 20:19, 10 December 2024

Shalva Natelashvili
შალვა ნათელაშვილი
Natelashvili in 2018
Leader of the Georgian Labour Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
1995
Preceded byparty established
Member of the Parliament of Georgia
In office
7 June 2008 – 21 October 2012
In office
25 November 1995 – 20 November 1999
ConstituencyAkhmeta
In office
11 December 2020 – 15 February 2022[1]
Personal details
Born (1958-02-17) 17 February 1958 (age 66)
Pasanauri, Georgian SSR, USSR
CitizenshipGeorgian
Political partyGeorgian Labour Party (1995–present)
SpouseBela Alania
ChildrenBeka
Darejan
Alma materTbilisi State University Law faculty
International Law at Diplomatic Academy under the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Leadership course at United States Department of State

Shalva Natelashvili (born 17 February 1958) is a Georgian politician, a founder of the Georgian Labour Party and its chair since 1995. He is a president of the International Geopolitical Center.[2]

Early life and career

[edit]

Natelashvili was born in the town of Pasanauri, in the northern mountainous part of Georgia. He graduated from Tbilisi State University faculty of law, in 1981 and pursued his post-graduate degree at Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs USSR,[3] majoring in international law. In 1981, he started his career at the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia as an investigator and was promoted to the position of Prosecutor and later to Head of Department for International Relations. In 2004, he studied in the Leadership Program by the US State Department.[4] Natelashvili is an honorary envoy of the state of Louisiana, a member of the International Association of Lawyers, a member of Academy of National and Social Sciences, a member of Association of International Law and has been granted a title of peace ambassador.[citation needed]

Political career

[edit]

Natelashvili started his political career in 1992 when he won a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections and became a majoritarian MP for the Dusheti region. He was then elected Head of Committee for Legal Affairs and chaired the Parliamentary Committee for First Constitution of Georgia. He is an author of the laws about citizenship, gun laws, the legal status of people without citizenship, parliamentary commissions and committees, parliamentary factions and political parties, the legal status of foreign citizens, and immigration and migration. Natelashvili also led the procedures to ensure that Georgia was integrated with international treaties of human rights.[citation needed]

In 1995, Natelashvili established the Georgian Labour Party (GLP). Since its inception the GLP turned into an influential political force in the country. It won a series of court trials, which resulted in the free secondary school nationwide, the reduction of electricity tariff for three years and won many other legal battles, which improved social conditions of the Georgian population. GLP has never joined any other political blocs or alliances and always run for parliament independently.[citation needed]

In 1995, Natelashvili won another landslide victory in the first round of the elections in the Dusheti single-member constituency.[5] He was a member of parliamentary bureau and collegium, chairman of the Elector's faction and Labour Party's faction in parliament. He also served as the co-chair of the parliamentary coalition United Georgia.

In 1999, the GLP garnered 7.02 percent of the votes in the parliamentary elections. Natelashvili claimed that the elections were rigged by the ruling Union of Citizens of Georgia. The GLP performed particularly strongly in the 1998 and 2002 local elections. In 1998, the GLP received 9% of the votes nationwide and finished on 3rd place.[6] In capital Tbilisi, the GLP received 18%, ending up on second place. The party managed to make its member Lado Kakhadze be elected on the post of the chairman of Tbilisi City Assembly. However, Kakhadze was soon co-opted by the ruling Union of Citizens and he left the Labour Party.[7]

The biggest success of the Labour Party came in the 2002 Tbilisi City Assembly election, in which the GLP secured a victory, finishing on the first place with 25.5% of the vote. According to observers, the Labor Party was seen as the "protest vote", with Natelashvili attacking all facets of the political elite, both the government and other oppositionists, and being perceived as unfairly excluded by the government from the Parliament during the 1999 Georgian parliamentary election.[8] Despite securing victory, however, the GLP still did not have enough seats to elect a chairman independently, without the support of other parties.[9]

On 13 June 2002, in a surprise move, Natelashvili announced that he would not strive for the chairmanship of Tbilisi City Assembly, instead supporting on this position other opposition leader and future President Mikheil Saakashvili, whose United National Movement only finished on 2nd place.[8] The decision was controversial, as the chairmanship of Tbilisi City Assembly was seen as a powerful platform from which to criticize the government, and was perceived as providing a great leverage for its holder in the run-up to the 2003 Georgian parliamentary election. Natelashvili is considered to have wasted a great opportunity to further boost popularity of his party. Many have opined that Natelashvili renounced the chairmanship because he "was only talk and unable to do the real work".[7]

In 2003, Natelashvili and the Georgian Labour Party acquired seats in Parliament with 12.5% of votes. Nonetheless, the party was not allowed to use its mandate, as an authorized institution illegally dissolved the parliament in the aftermath of the Rose Revolution. The rerun of the elections in 2004 was fraudulent, which left the party without the mandates. The European Court of Human Rights recognized the Georgian Labour Party and Natelashvili as the victim of the falsified elections in its decision dated 8 July 2008.[10]

As a result of violence and vote rigging in the presidential elections of 5 January 2008, the Central Election Commission of Georgia declared that Natelashvili only gathered 6.5 per cent of the votes.[citation needed] The Georgian Labour Party cleared the election threshold in the parliamentary elections of 2008 and won the mandates in the parliament, despite the large-scale election fraud. Nonetheless, the Georgian Labour Party decided to boycott the parliamentary sessions in protest of the ballot fraud.

Controversies

[edit]

In November 2007, Natelashvili led the anti-governmental protest rallies and the demonstrations were forcefully dissolved.[11] Natelashvili's house and the party were raided by special forces and searched. The party leader had to flee for several days while the prosecutor's office accused Natelashvili of state treason and organizing mass unrest.[citation needed] The government revoked all its allegations after the international community and the US ambassador to Georgia John F. Tefft intervened and cancelled the arrest warrant.

On 1 October 2012, Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili's party, the Georgian Dream, took power in Tbilisi and the attacks and pressure on the Georgian Labour Party mounted. The political repercussions are thought by some to be steered by Bidzina Ivanishvili, who accused Natelashvili of having a clandestine alliance with former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili.[citation needed]

Natelashvili has allegedly survived several assassination attempts, including a blast at the Georgian Labour Party's head office, which killed party activist Nino Giorgobiani. Walls, window glasses and ceiling are ruined, and one of the guards was injured.[12] In addition, four people, including one child, were hurt and taken to the hospital. The government of Georgia blamed the explosion on the Russian special services.

Personal life

[edit]

Natelashvili is married to Bela Alania (a lawyer and a writer) and has a son Beka Natelashvili and a daughter Darejan Natelashvili.

Natelashili is often seen in the Russian-Georgian conflict zones where he organizes rallies to protest against illegal construction of borders and fences on the territory of Georgia by the Russian armed forces.[13][14][15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Parliament suspends MP status for three opposition members, former speaker". Agenda.ge. 27 October 2024.
  2. ^ "President of International Geopolitical Center". IGCENTER. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Biography".
  4. ^ "US Leadership Program". Prezidenti.ge. 27 July 2013.
  5. ^ "History of Georgian Elections" (PDF). cesko.ge. 28 April 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
  6. ^ Irakli Iremadze (2020). Electoral History of Georgia: 1990-2018 (PDF). Central Election Commission of Georgia. p. 111.
  7. ^ a b "ლეიბორისტული პარტიის წარუმატებლობის მიზეზი". 2 April 2004.
  8. ^ a b Wheatley, Jonathan (2005). Georgia from National Awakening to Rose Revolution. Ashgate Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 9780754645030.
  9. ^ Irakli Iremadze (2020). Electoral History of Georgia: 1990-2018 (PDF). Central Election Commission of Georgia. pp. 139–140.
  10. ^ "CASE OF THE GEORGIAN LABOUR PARTY v. GEORGIA". hudoc.echr.coe.int. 8 July 2008.
  11. ^ "Excessive use of force against demonstrators by law enforcement officials". OMCT.org. 7 November 2007.
  12. ^ "The Explosion Occurred in Front of the Labor Party Office". humanrights.ge. 29 November 2010. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016.
  13. ^ "Natelashvili against the Borderization of Georgian territory". 20 February 2016. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "Shalva Natelashvili visited the occupation line". Rustavi2. 11 August 2015.
  15. ^ "Labor Party Leader in Tamarasheni". 1tv.ge. 11 August 2015.
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