DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, September 25 – One in five Georgians is now officially dependent on social assistance, opposition politician Tazo Datunashvili said Wednesday. The Lelo politician blasted Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s government for boasting about “unprecedented economic growth” while poverty deepens. He pointed to fresh welfare statistics showing 708,764 people receiving subsistence aid in August 2025, up … Read more
TBILISI, September 25 – Russia will keep its ban on gasoline exports in place until the end of the year and widen restrictions to include diesel shipments, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak confirmed, according to Interfax. The gasoline ban, first imposed in late July to stabilize domestic supply, had already been extended twice. Now it … Read more
TBILISI, September 25 – With Georgia’s hotly contested October 4 local elections just days away, opposition party Lelo is weighing whether to show up at a major street rally in Tbilisi the same evening. The move could put the party on a collision course with other opposition groups that have vowed to boycott the vote. … Read more
TBILISI, September 25 – A brutal chemical attack in the town of Kaspi has left a young woman hospitalized after her former husband allegedly threw a corrosive substance in her face. The assault happened in the Miriani district of Kaspi, central Georgia. According to locals, the man had previously been issued a restraining order but … Read more
TBILISI, September 25 – A Tbilisi court has sentenced protester Isako Devizde to 20 days in administrative detention following his arrest outside Georgia’s parliament yesterday – the latest in a string of run-ins with law enforcement. The judge found Devidze guilty of petty hooliganism and disobedience to police orders under Articles 166 and 173 of … Read more
TBILISI, September 25 – Tbilisi played host to the 11th International Scientific and Practical Conference on Geology and Mining, a gathering that brought together leading academics, industry experts, and engineers to discuss the future of the sector. The event was organized by the Georgian Mineralogical Society, the Georgian Technical University, the Grigol Tsulukidze Mining Institute, … Read more
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
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
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
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