DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, September 13 – Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the political council of the opposition United National Movement (UNM), has been formally charged in Georgia with promising bribes to officials and publicly calling for the overthrow of state authority. His arrest has triggered sharp debate, with the opposition accusing the government of fear mongering ahead of … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Georgia’s distributors are pushing back against new rules that limit the movement of large trucks in Tbilisi during peak hours, warning that the measures are driving up costs and complicating deliveries. Lasha Rijamadze, president of the country’s Association of Distributors, told Business Press News that companies face major difficulties since the … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Georgia’s tourism industry is seeing more visitors this year, but guides warn the change in who is coming could hurt the country’s earnings. “There are tourists in terms of numbers, but the share of solvent tourists has sharply decreased,” guide Aleksandre Giorgidze told BPN. He said arrivals from Asia have grown, … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Sales of Georgian sparkling wine in Russia fell in the first seven months of 2025, according to figures published by the Russian business daily Kommersant. Between January and July, Russia imported 28,800 decaliters of sparkling wine from Georgia, totaling about 288,000 liters. That was a 3.8 percent drop compared to the … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Wizz Air says it will close its base in Vienna, ending all flights from the Austrian capital by March 2026. The Hungarian budget carrier announced that the shutdown will happen in two stages. From October 26, 2025, two aircraft will be withdrawn and flights to Bilbao and London Gatwick will stop. … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Georgia’s State Security Service carried out dramatic arrests in the Black Sea city of Batumi, detaining the leader of the opposition National Movement (UNM), Levan Khabeishvili, along with party member Murtaz Zodelava. Former defense minister Juansher Burchuladze, a close ally of ex-prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, was also taken into custody. The … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Police in Georgia say they have detained 42 people across the country in a sweeping crackdown on drug crimes carried out over the past 24 hours. Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze told reporters on Wednesday that most of those arrested are accused of being major drug dealers. Others are suspected of … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Georgia’s seaside resort city of Batumi is booming, but locals say the growth has turned daily life into chaos. Once known as a quiet Black Sea town, Batumi is now packed with high-rise towers, hotels, and restaurants, and residents complain that the city can no longer keep up. “Moving around is … Read more
TBILISI, September 12 – Georgia’s security services say they have foiled an attempt to smuggle powerful explosives into the country, detaining two Ukrainian citizens in an operation near the Turkish border. The State Security Service (SUS) announced that on September 10, a truck with Ukrainian license plates crossed into Georgia from Turkey through the Sarpi … Read more
TBILISI, September 11 – A senior Georgian official has welcomed news that a controversial U.S. bill targeting the country’s government is unlikely to pass in the Senate, while fiercely criticizing opposition figures who testified against Georgia in Washington. The stalled MEGOBARI Act would increase U.S. sanctions on Georgia if democratic backsliding continued, while offering defense … Read more