DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, September 22 – Political analyst Irakli Melashvili says Georgia’s political scene has reached a dangerous stalemate, where dialogue between government and opposition is no longer possible. In a wide-ranging interview with Interpressnews, he painted a grim picture of a society radicalized by years of divisive rhetoric. “The main feature of political life in Georgia … Read more
TBILISI, September 22 – Lithuania’s foreign minister says the European Union must move quickly to launch a backup plan that would allow accession talks with Ukraine to begin, even as Hungary continues to block the process. Speaking to the Ukrainian outlet European Pravda, Kęstutis Budrys said he believes there is indeed a way to speed … Read more
TBILISI, September 22 – Georgia’s opposition are adjusting their language under pressure from the ruling party’s legal threats ahead of a planned October 4 rally previously presented as a ‘peaceful revolution.‘ Paata Burchuladze, founder of the “Rustaveli Avenue” movement, said he was replacing the phrase “peaceful overthrow” with what he jokingly called “affectionate clean-up.” His … Read more
TBILISI, September 22 – The high-profile trial over the killing of Georgian businessman Levan Jangveladze and the attempted murder of his driver is underway at Tbilisi City Court, where 14 witnesses are set to testify. Those scheduled to appear include a medical expert, a taxi driver, eyewitnesses, and employees of the Tbilisi Towers hotel. Court … Read more
TBILISI, September 22 – Brussels Airport has been forced to order airlines to cancel around half of Monday’s scheduled flights after a cyberattack crippled its check-in and boarding systems, according to Reuters. The disruption stems from an attack on Collins Aerospace, a company owned by RTX that provides registration and boarding software to airports worldwide. … Read more
TBILISI, September 22 – The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, paid an official visit to Georgia over the weekend, and was hosted at the private residence of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The event marked Ivanishvili’s first public appearance in a political … Read more
TBILISI, September 21 – Police in Georgia’s Black Sea region of Adjara have arrested four people accused of running an organized fraud scheme that tricked citizens out of nearly half a million lari. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the group targeted people in Batumi interested in securing loans with property as collateral. Investigators … Read more
TBILISI, September 21 – Torrential rains have caused flooding in western Georgia, damaging homes and infrastructure. In Khobi, in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, heavy downpours flooded household plots, courtyards of apartment blocks, and basements. Water also entered the first floors of several homes. Local officials said emergency crews and municipal services were mobilized, with special … Read more
TBILISI, September 20 – Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze blames the halting of two major hydropower plans on ‘sabotage’ by foreign-funded groups. Hydropower projects in Georgia have long drawn street protests, but Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze now says some groups went further, engaging in sabotage and demands for stakes in energy projects. The PM pointed to … Read more
TBILISI, September 20 – Georgia’s parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili has strongly rejected a new sanctions package proposed in the U.S. Congress. The so-called “Georgian Nightmare Act” was adopted as a proposed addition to the National Defense Authorization Act by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and would instruct officials not to take any action or allocate funds … Read more