Saturday, December 6, 2025

Armed standoff at Holiday Inn in Tbilisi ends in arrest

TBILISI, September 25 – A tense scene unfolded at the Holiday Inn in Tbilisi on Thursday, as a man locked himself inside a hotel room, threatened staff, and was ultimately taken into custody by police. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, officers rushed to the scene after an emergency call reported possible gunfire from … Read more

Georgia raises deposit insurance cap to 50,000 lari

TBILISI, September 25 – Georgia is preparing a major expansion of its deposit insurance system, lifting the guaranteed payout ceiling from 30,000 to 50,000 lari (about USD 18,000) starting April 1, 2026. The Deposit Insurance Agency announced the move this week, marking the third increase since the scheme was launched in 2018. When the system … Read more

PM blasts EU and UK envoys for meddling in Georgia’s domestic politics

TBILISI, September 25 – Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has doubled down on sharp criticism of Western envoys, accusing EU, UK and German ambassadors in Tbilisi of overstepping their diplomatic role and interfering directly in the country’s politics. Speaking to reporters after the UK’s ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, a day after Germany’s … Read more

Moldova extradites fugitive bank fraud suspect from Greece

TBILISI, September 25 – Moldova has secured the extradition from Greece of fugitive businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc, in order to face justice in one of the country’s biggest corruption scandals. Local outlet Newsmaker reported that Plahotniuc was flown under guard on a direct flight from Athens to Chișinău on Wednesday. Moldova’s Justice Ministry confirmed he will … Read more

UK envoy summoned by Georgia one day after Germany’s

TBILISI, September 25 – Georgia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday summoned the United Kingdom’s ambassador in Tbilisi, Gareth Ward, following a similar action against Germany’s envoy just a day earlier. Ward arrived at the ministry but did not make any comments to reporters before entering the building, according to local media. The summons comes less than … Read more

Germany slams Georgia after envoy summoned in rare diplomatic clash

TBILISI, September 25 – Tensions between Georgia and one of its strongest European partners escalated on Wednesday after Germany’s ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tbilisi, a move Berlin condemned as “baseless” and “aggressive.” Ambassador Peter Fischer told reporters before entering the building that it was the first time in modern … Read more

Georgia’s UNM lobby EU to sanction ruling party, not citizens

TBILISI, September 25 – Two party tops in the former ruling UNM demand that the European Union must only slap visa sanctions on their country’s political leaders, not its people. This is the message chair Tina Bokuchava and deputy chair Levan Sanikidze brought with them as they toured the famously noisy European Parliament as well … Read more

Man pulls gun on Azerbaijani local in Tbilisi

TBILISI, September 24 – Human rights activist Samira Bayramova has released a video showing a man pulling out a gun during an argument outside a shawarma stand near Marjanishvili Square. Bayramova, who posted the footage on social media, said the confrontation involved a local Azerbaijani man from Bolnisi, a town in southern Georgia with a … Read more

Tbilisi city court reopens after bomb threat evacuation

TBILISI, September 24 – Tbilisi City Court has reopened after a bomb threat forced an evacuation earlier in the day. Security officers from the court’s marshal service allowed citizens back into the building just minutes ago, restoring normal operations. The evacuation was declared around 1:00 p.m. following a warning about a possible explosive device inside … Read more