DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, September 17 – Zurab Zviadauri, Georgia’s first Olympic champion, has been arrested on charges of illegally possessing a firearm, the Interior Ministry confirmed to Interpressnews. Zviadauri, who won gold in judo at the 2004 Athens Olympics, was detained under Article 236 of Georgia’s criminal code, which covers unlawful purchase, storage, or carrying of firearms. … Read more
TBILISI, September 17 – Demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) is booming in Georgia, but safety controls are not keeping pace, industry officials warn. Vakhtang Iobashvili, head of the Union of Petroleum Importers, told BPN that while LNG use is spreading rapidly across Europe and Georgia, the sector is “practically uncontrolled.” He said there are … Read more
TBILISI, September 17 – Georgia is building a brand-new runway at Kutaisi International Airport, a project officials say will turn the country’s second-busiest hub into a major player for long-haul flights and cargo. Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili toured the site with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze this week. She called it a “historic … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Georgia’s prosecutors say they have uncovered the country’s biggest-ever money laundering case, involving more than USD 624 million and EUR 35 million allegedly funneled through illegal cash smuggling and fake currency exchange operations between 2022 and 2024. One suspect has been arrested, though officials have not named the individual. The Prosecutor’s … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Turkish truckers hauling cargo into Russia are still betting on Georgia’s land corridor, even though it comes with long delays and unpredictable closures, according to new research by the Transport Corridor Research Center (TCRC), a Tbilisi-based think tank. The key link is the Kazbegi–Upper Lars crossing on the Georgian-Russian border, the … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Inflation in Georgia is expected to creep above 5% in the coming months before cooling back to around 4.5% by the end of the year, according to new research by TBC Capital. The report notes that inflation already hit 4.6% in August, fueled in part by rising prices for bread and … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Georgians sent more money to Turkey than any other country in August, according to fresh figures from the National Bank of Georgia. A total of USD 6.16 million flowed across the border to Turkey in just one month, placing it at the top of the list of outbound transfers. Azerbaijan came … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Georgia’s ruling party has unveiled new legislation that would tighten the country’s anti-corruption law by tracking convicted officials’ assets for three decades. Under the proposal, any public servant, political officeholder, or employee of state agencies and enterprises found guilty of financial or official misconduct would be required to submit annual asset … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Georgia’s prime minister is escalating attacks on jailed opposition activist Elene Khoshtaria, accusing her of being in the Kremlin’s pay. Speaking Tuesday after the Dutch ambassador visited Khoshtaria in detention, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze blasted the envoy for “grossly violating” the Vienna Convention and claimed the meeting was interference in Georgia’s … Read more
TBILISI, September 16 – Despite international criticism, Georgia’s government is signaling a tougher stance on street protests, with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warning that the era of going “soft” on demonstrators is over. The PM’s remarks came after the arrest of Elene Khoshtaria, a leader of the opposition group Coalition for Change, who was detained … Read more