DFWatch staff 
ZUGDIDI, DFWatch–A five hectare shopping mall in Rukhi, only meters from the administrative border line (ABL) with breakaway Abkhazia, is doing good business, says its director David Machavariani, speaking to DFWatch.
“Of course, the idea has justified itself, as [the mall] allows people to have more access to the services closer to their homes.
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi is expelling a Russian diplomat in solidarity with its western allies over the poisoning of the ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK.
The decision was taken on Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after strong pressure from the opposition.
TBILISI, DFWatch–The head of Georgia’s Public Registry has been accused of discrimination and sexual harassment by at least two of the agency’s former female employees.
Papuna Ugrekhelidze, the 43 year old chairman of the NAPR, who is currently on a business trip to the US, flatly denied the accusations
AKHALGORI, DFWatch–South Ossetia is creating a new body that will examine whether its ‘nationals’ comply with the procedures for obtaining ‘citizenship’ of the breakaway region.
A civic activist from Akhalgori might become the first victim of the novelty.
TBILISI, DFWatch–South Ossetian de facto authorities late Tuesday evening handed over to Georgian law enforcers the body of a Georgian war veteran who died in Tskhinvali under suspicious circumstances.
The release of Archil Tatunashvili’s body was facilitated by the Red Cross.
TBILISI, DFWatch–In two enclaves carved out of neighboring Georgia, Vladimir Putin received the highest percentage of votes in the Russian presidential election: 94 percent of votes in Abkhazia and 93 percent in South Ossetia.
The two regions which both have a heavy Russian
TBILISI, DFWatch–Six men were detained after a group of nationalists assaulted reporters working for the opposition leaning TV channel Rustavi 2 in Tbilisi on Monday. At least one journalist was injured.
The TV channel’s sports reporter Davit Eradze was hospitalized
TBILISI, DFWatch–At least eight people were injured in an accident in Georgia’s ski resort Gudauri Friday as after a ski lift failed. Two people – a Swedish and Ukrainian national – are in a serious but not life threatening condition, while the others suffered minor injuries, Minister of Health Davit Sergeenko said, speaking to Imedi … Read more
GALI, DFWatch–Abkhazia’s de facto authorities have not managed to open a much needed heart clinic in Sokhumi due to the lack of qualified medical staff, a Georgian cardiologist who was involved in the process told DFWatch.
