DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, October 7 – A pest that first appeared in Abkhazia about eight years ago has now become a permanent local species, Abkhaz authorities say, but its threat to harvests has faded, officials add. Vladimir Geria, head of the Plant Protection Service at Abkhazia’s de facto Ministry of Agriculture, told Apsnipress that the insect known … Read more
TBILISI, October 7 – Famed Georgian opera singer turned activist Paata Burchuladze, one of the main figures detained over the failed October 4 “peaceful revolution,” told a Tbilisi court Tuesday that he was trying to prevent violence, not incite it. Burchuladze, founder of the “Rustaveli Avenue” movement, said that during the unrest near the presidential … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Georgia’s Catholic community celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on Monday, with the country’s State Agency for Religious Issues extending official greetings to the Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus and its parishioners. The feast, known locally as Savadis Ghvtismshoblis Dghesastsauli, honors the Virgin Mary under the title of … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – A new push to link major rail corridors across the South Caucasus and Turkey could soon give the region a powerful boost as a trade bridge between Asia and Europe. Azerbaijan Railways chairman Rovshan Rustamov said that the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway and the planned Zangezur Corridor will together form a “unified … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Khvanchkara is known as one of Stalin’s favorites, and in the remote mountain region of Racha, in northern Georgia, the annual ‘rtveli’ is in full swing, a cultural ritual to harvest the grapes for the famous wine. So far, 120 tons of grapes have been processed in Ambrolauri municipality, according to … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Georgia’s “peaceful revolution” may have failed on October 4, but according to Tbilisi State University sociologist Iago Kachkachishvili, the failed uprising didn’t kill the protest movement. It may even have breathed new life into it. “October 4 discredited the idea of a revolutionary overthrow, but not the protest itself,” Kachkachishvili said … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Five opposition figures accused of orchestrating Saturday’s failed “peaceful revolution” in Georgia were formally charged Monday, as their defense lawyers pushed back against what they called politically motivated accusations. The opera singer and activist Paata Burchuladze, former prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava, National Movement politician Irakli Nadiradze, Strategy Aghmashenebeli leader Paata Manjgaladze, and … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Prosecutors in Georgia have formally charged five opposition figures over their alleged role in organizing the October 4 protest in Tbilisi that authorities describe as an attempt to violently overthrow the government. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the charges were presented Monday morning to opera singer and civic activist Paata Burchuladze, … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Georgia’s government rejected criticism from the European Union Sunday, following the country’s local elections, and violent clashes in Tbilisi branded a “peaceful revolution” by parts of the opposition. In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief and European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the elections … Read more
TBILISI, October 6 – Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) says it has discovered a large cache of firearms, ammunition, and explosives allegedly tied to plans for coordinated sabotage attacks during the October 4 unrest in Tbilisi. Authorities claim the operation was directed by a Georgian national serving in a Ukrainian military unit. According to the … Read more