Russians’ influx jumped by 40-45 percent: MIA official
The flow of Russian citizens at Zemo Larsi customs checkpoint has increased by 40-45 percent; 5-6 thousand have been arriving daily in recent days, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, said Thursday. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service and other law enforcement agencies do everything to filter out those persons who have violated the law on occupied territories, [...]
Russian military start getting grip on border with Georgia to prevent conscripts’ exodus
Telegram channel SHOT On the border with Georgia, which has becomes a point of exodus for those Russian men who want to avoid conscription, Russia opens a military commissariat presence. According to the eyewitnesses from [...]
News
Georgian tourism industry booming, revenues reach record high
(gnta.ge) Revenues from international visitors are at a record high this year in Georgia. According to the information published by the National Bank of Georgia, the country received $476 million in income from international visitors [...]
Ukrainians rout Russian troops redeployed from Abkhazia: military expert
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Ukrainian army has severely defeated the Russian unit stationed in the breakaway Abkhazia on the Kryvyi Rih front, which suffered such significant losses that the leadership was forced to withdraw it from the [...]
Credit Suisse stopped responding even to letters: Bidzina Ivanishvili’s lawyers
The Swiss bank Credit Suisse continues to restrict Bidzina Ivanishvili's access to his banking resources “as a matter of principle”, and "for quite a long time" they do not even respond to the letters and [...]
Russia suggests including assassin imprisoned in Germany in proposed prisoner exchange with U.S.
Vadim Krasikov. TBILISI, DFWatch--In prisoner exchange talks with the United States, Moscow has offered to include a hitman affiliated with Russian intelligence, who is serving a life sentence in Germany for the elimination of Chechen [...]
“Just like in Russia” – opposition TV director says there total illegal surveillance of journalists in Georgia
Acting director general of Georgia’s biggest opposition TV channel Mtavari Arkhi states that there is total illegal surveillance of journalists in the country “just like in Russia”. As proof of this, he cites an audio [...]
We do not take decisions at the behest of Ivanishvili: PM Garibashvili
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili publishes an extensive statement, where he responds to the "campaign of internal and external political opponents". In a letter full of praise for billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the PM claims that the [...]
A field of natural gas discovered near Tbilisi
A natural gas field with a volume of 16 billion cubic meters has been discovered near Tbilisi, said Giorgi Tatishvili, the head of the State Oil and Gas Agency, speaking to BMG. "To imagine, this [...]
Pro-EU rally organizers in Tbilisi demand ousting the PM, forming a government of national consent
The organizers of a pro-EU rally in central Tbilisi, where thousands of people gathered to say that Brussels' refusal to grant Georgia candidate status was the result of the Georgian Dream government's misguided policies, demand [...]
“Do not break up the trio” – Former leaders of Georgia ask the EU to grant candidate status
Giorgi Margvelashvili. Georgia's two former presidents and four ex-speakers of parliament appeal the EU not to oust Georgia from the "trio" and to grant it candidate status, as it did with Ukraine and Moldova. “The [...]
From Ambassador notes: Tedo Japaridze’s interview with Zuhdi Janbek, a Jordanian general with the Circassian origin
Zuhdi Janbek is a prominent Jordanian statesman, politician and public figure. He held different high-level positions in the Jordanian hierarchy throughout his outstanding career, among them the post of the President of Circassian Charity Association [...]
Europe and Georgia
PACE to discuss dismissing its president in October
PACE President Pedro Agramunt. (Council of Europe.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will discuss a proposal to dismiss its chairperson in early October after a motion was tabled on Friday. The motion to dismiss PACE President Pedro Agramunt was backed by 158 out of the 636 member […]
Opinion
Minorities
New survey points to increasingly positive attitudes in Georgia toward minorities, LGBT+ individuals
(DFWatch) TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgians are increasingly positive about minorities, including LGBT+ people, according to the new survey commissioned by The Council of Europe Office in Georgia, which covers a period between 2018 and 2021. [...]
NGO News
Civic groups in Georgia campaign to help Ukrainian refugees left out in the street
(Razom.ge) Georgian civic groups and activists have launched a fundraising campaign to provide temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees who were left out in the street after the end of state [...]
Georgian NGOs express concern over oil spill off Russia’s Black Sea coast
(Photo: Instagram / _svetlana__radionova_) TBILISI, DFWatch--Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Georgian National Platform, a coalition of more than 200 non-governmental organizations, expresses concern over an oil spill off Russia’s Black [...]
Georgian NGOs condemn Belarusian elections, violence against peaceful demonstrations
A coalition which unites over 180 Georgian NGOs harshly criticizes violence of Belarusian authorities against peaceful citizens in the wake of presidential elections held on August 9, and urges Georgian [...]