Monday, December 29, 2025

Russia and Georgia to meet for direct talks

Zurab Abashidze, Georgia's Special Representative for Relations with Russia, will meet the Russian delegetation to discuss direct flights and opening up trade relations. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — At last, Georgia and Russia will meet to start sorting out their differences. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations after the war in 2008.

Zurab Abashidze, Georgia’s Special Representative for Russian relations, on Monday said that

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Ivanishvili explains the need for amnesty

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili explained that society needs the amnesty, and asked people to show understanding if there is a temporary rise in crime. (Photo: Davit Tchalidze/Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The Georgian Prime Minister expects to see a rise in crime for a few days after a mass amnesty comes into force, and says the population should understand and get on with it.

Bidzina Ivanishvili Saturday visited parliament in Kutaisi, and

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Ucha Nanuashvili is Georgia's new ombudsman

Ucha Nanuashvili was Friday confirmed as the new ombudsman, or public defender, of Georgia. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Ucha Nanuashvili has been chosen as Georgia’s new ombudsman.

The 38 year old lawyer has more than 15 years of experience as a human rights worker and is currently director of the non-governmental organization Human Rights Center.

Mr Nanuashvili’s

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Ex-minister questioned again about fake passport

Former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili greeting supporters as he exits the general prosecutor's building Friday after five hours of questioning. (Photo: Irakli Gedenidze/Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili was Friday questioned a second time about his attempt to leave the country with a fake passport November 30.

The interior ministry has made public several witness statements seeming to confirm that

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Detainee in Georgia-Dagestan border shooting released

Ahmed Chataev, who denies guilt, was released on bail Thursday. He lost a leg in the border shooting near Dagestan in August, 2012. According to Chataev this was the first attempt by boeviks to enter Chechnya from Georgia after the end of the second Chechen war. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Tbilisi City Court on Thursday released a man detained after a firefight on the border with Russia in late August, 2012.

Akhmed Chatayev was released on USD 3 000 bail, which he will have to pay within 30 days.

August 28, Georgia started

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Fake passports were common in Georgia's interior ministry

Giorgi Lortkipanidze admitted he had used this fake passport, and said many others who worked in the interior ministry were issued similar.

TBILISI, DFWatch — Georgia’s interior ministry is investigating one more attempt to jump the border with a fake passport.

The ministry says it discovered a suspicious passport issued in the name of Gocha Tsereteli, but the photo shows former Deputy Interior

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