Zurab Japaridze
{{Short description|Georgian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Zurab Japaridze
| native_name = {{nobold|ზურაბ ჯაფარიძე}}
| native_name_lang = ka
| image = Zurab Japaridze (2023).jpg
| caption = Japaridze in 2023
| image_size = 250px
| office = Leader of Girchi - More Freedom
| term_start = 26 December 2020
| term_end =
| predecessor = party established
| successor =
| office1 = Chairman of Girchi
| term_start1 = 5 November 2015
| term_end1 = 23 June 2018{{cite news|title=Iago Khvichia was elected as chairman of "Girchy"|url=https://rustavi2.ge/en/news/107385|work=Rustavi 2|date=23 June 2018}}
| predecessor1 = party established
| successor1 = Iago Khvichia
| office2 = Member of the Parliament of Georgia
| term_start2 = 11 December 2020
| term_end2 =
| term_start3 = 21 October 2012
| term_end3 = 18 November 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|1|1}}
| birth_place =
| party = Girchi - More Freedom (2020–present)
New Political Center — Girchi (2015–2020)
United National Movement (2012–2015)
}}
Zurab Girchi Japaridze ({{lang-ka|ზურაბ გირჩი ჯაფარიძე}}; born 1 January 1976) is a Georgian politician and co-founder of a libertarian party called Girchi. On 26 December 2020 he founded a new political party, Girchi - More Freedom.
Early life
Japaridze graduated from the Tbilisi State Medical University in 1999, and Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) in 2005. Since 1998, he has worked for various Western-funded assistance programs for Georgia. He was a professor at the GIPA from 2005 to 2011 and at the Free University of Tbilisi since 2011. From 2010 to 2012, he was also a columnist for the Tabula magazine.
Political career
Japaridze started his political career in 2012 when he joined the United National Movement party (UNM). In June 2013, he was one of the candidates for the 2013 UNM presidential nomination.{{cite news|title=UNM names candidates for Presidential primaries|url=http://www.tabula.ge/en/story/72513-unm-names-candidates-for-presidential-primaries|access-date=30 June 2013|newspaper=Tabula|date=29 June 2013}}{{cite news|title=Saakashvili's party names four presidential candidates |url=http://dfwatch.net/saakashvilis-party-names-four-presidential-candidates-52934 |access-date=21 September 2019 |date=29 June 2013| agency=Democracy & Freedom Watch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712023009/http://dfwatch.net/saakashvilis-party-names-four-presidential-candidates-52934 |archive-date=12 July 2013}} In 2012–2016 Japaridze was the member of the Parliament of Georgia of the 8th convocation.{{cite web|title=დეპუტატების სია: ჯაფარიძე ზურაბ|trans-title=List of the MPs: Japaridze, Zurab|url=http://parliament.ge/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=224:japharidze-zurab&Itemid=129&lang=ge|publisher=Parliament of Georgia|access-date=30 June 2013|language=ka|archive-date=22 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622133333/http://www.parliament.ge/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=224:japharidze-zurab&Itemid=129&lang=ge|url-status=dead}} He served as the UNM's executive secretary, but left the party in May 2015.{{cite news|title=Four MPs Quit UNM Opposition Party|url=http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=28297|access-date=26 May 2015|work=Civil Georgia|date=25 May 2015}}
In 2016, Japaridze, with four other lawmakers who left the UNM, established a right-libertarian party called Girchi. It emerged as one of the strongest supporters of the legalization of cannabis in Georgia. In 2018, Japaridze run in the Georgian presidential election, receiving 2.26% of the total number of votes. In 2020, he was elected as a member of the parliament, although renounced his mandate after leaving the party. In December 2020, Japaridze founded new political party Girchi - More Freedom.
2018 presidential elections
2018 On 16 April, Zurab Japaridze, confirmed that he would be candidate of "Girchi" for the 2018 presidential elections. During the 2018 presidential election, Japaridze posted his own election banners on the porn site Pornhub. Users saw two banners with these captions on the site: "More sex, more freedom" and "I do not promise to increase the size." Girchi cites low budget spending as the reason for placing their own ads on the site.
Arrest
On 2 December 2024, Japaridze was arrested amid protests against the suspension of Georgia's accession process to the EU by the Georgian Dream government of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.{{Cite web |title=Georgian opposition leader Zurab Japaridze arrested as pro-EU protest rages |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/2/georgian-opposition-leader-zurab-japaridze-arrested-as-pro-eu-protest-rages |access-date=2 December 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |date=2 December 2024 |language=en-US}} He was released a few hours later because of his immunity as a member of parliament.
Political views
Japaridze adheres to the libertarian and strong pro-Western views. Japaridze has been a long time proponent of Georgia's membership in North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union. Japaridze's economic policies are focused on the deregulation of the market and the development of macroeconomic potential in the country. Since becoming the member of the Parliament, Japaridze has been actively advocating for low taxes, small government, government decentralization, and privatization of state-owned property. Japaridze also supports marijuana legalization in Georgia.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Facebook|japaridzez/}}
- {{in lang|ka}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20140724220630/http://www.tabula.ge/ge/profile/zjaparidze Articles by Zurab Japaridze]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Japaridze, Zurab}}
Category:United National Movement (Georgia) politicians
Category:New Political Center — Girchi politicians
Category:Atheists from Georgia (country)
Category:Members of the Parliament of Georgia
Category:Educators from Georgia (country)
Category:Journalists from Georgia (country)