Tuesday, January 20, 2026

France refuses to extradite former Georgian defense minister

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Davit Kezerashvili was Georgia’s defense minister during the 2008 war with Russia over a breakaway territory. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–France has refused to extradite former Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili to Georgia.

Kezerashvili is charged with acquiring a large amount of money and for receiving a bribe while he was minister.

He is also implicated in the Imedi TV case,

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Georgia: 15% rise in January's foreign trade confirmed

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Used cars for sale at Rustavi car market near Tbilisi. (rustavi.ge.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover was USD 761 million in January 2014 according to precise data published by Georgia’s National Statistics Department, GeoStat. This is 15 percent more than in 2013.

Export was USD 224 million, which is 14 percent

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John Kerry to visit Georgia in spring

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US Secretary of State John Kerry next to his Georgian counterpart, Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze. (Photo published by the Georgian government.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Georgia in spring 2014.

Kerry said after a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili on Wednesday that he is looking forward to coming to Georgia and that the trip might take place in spring.

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Bacho Akhalaia's lawyer released on bail

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Giorgi Oniani. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court has released the lawyer of a former defense minister against a 20 000 lari (USD 12 000) bail.

Goga Oniani, a former high police official during Saakashvili who now is a lawyer representing the ex-minister Bacho Akhalaia, is charged

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Russia resumes building of South Ossetia border fences

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Razor wire is one of the measures Russian border guards are using to enforce the de facto border. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian soldiers have resumed the installation of warning signs and barbed wire at villages near the border with the breakaway region South Ossetia.

A sign warning about the de facto border was installed in the village Ghogheti near Kareli on Tuesday.

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Georgia creates agency to oversee party financing

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Lasha Tordia, Director of the State Audit Office. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is creating a temporary commission to monitor the financing of political parties.

The new body will be staffed by people from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and will be based at the State Audit Office.

Its general director, Lasha

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Former police official and Bacho Akhalaia lawyer detained

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Giorgi Oniani. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia has ordered the detention of a lawyer for former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia.

Giorgi Oniani is charged with abuse of power, falsification of evidence about especially grave crime and purposeful unlawful

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Georgian PM Gharibashvili met Obama and Biden

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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili (left) and US President Barack Obama. (Photo published on Facebook.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili on Monday met with US Vice President Joe Biden at the White House. President Barack Obama later joined the meeting.

Topics included the US-Georgia strategic partnership, the prospects for Georgia’s integration

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