Sunday, April 19, 2026

Stalin monument restored in Georgia

The statue of Josef Stalin in his hometown Gori, in west Georgia, was taken down in 2010, and might also be brought back up. (Radio Tavisupleba.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — A statue of Joseph Stalin in a town east in Georgia which was dismantled in 2011 has been restored.

According to Information Center of Kakheti, locals Sunday morning discovered the restored Stalin statue in Akhmeta. The monument of the Soviet

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Ex-minister Merabishvili denies wrongdoing

Former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili says the accusations against him can not be taken seriously and refuses to comment. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — A former Interior Minister who is accused of abuse of power says he is ready to answer all questions, but that the accusations against him can not be taken seriously.

The case broke a few days ago, when the Interior Ministry provided the prosecutor’s

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Merabishvili may be investigated

Vano Merabishvili was interior minister for eight years. Now he may face prosecution for secretly allowing two ministry tops carry on in their positions even though he had fired them. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The interior ministry in Georgia has asked the prosecutors to investigate former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili.

Ministry spokesperson Nino Giorgobiani Saturday morning explained at a press conference that the material submitted to

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Friend of Tbilisi Mayor released on bail

Giorgi Kelbakiani, Georgia director of Scandinavian construction giant NCC, is charged with money laundering. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — A friend of the Tbilisi Mayor suspected of money laundering was today released on a USD 90 000 bail for 30 days.

Giorgi Kelbakiani, Georgia Director of the construction company NCC, and Archil Chigogava, Financial Director of the same company

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Georgian PM's visit to US postponed

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili at Thursday's press conference in Tbilisi. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The Georgian Prime Minister’s visit to the US has been postponed until next year. Bidzina Ivanishvili explains that too many problems arise when he leaves the country.

At Thursday’s press conference, the Prime Minister spoke very little about

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Four intelligence personnel released on bail

Four of the ten intelligence personnel accused of illegal surveillance and blackmail were released on bail this morning. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The Appeals Court released four out of ten employees of the Constitutional Security Department of the Interior Ministry from pretrial detention on Thursday evening.

All of them left prison at about 04:00 in the morning.

November 15, ten employees

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Amnesty plan leads to controversy

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says there might be a rise in crime as thousands of prisoners are released, but that Georgians will understand the need for the mass amnesty. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Georgia’s Prime Minister says that the planned law about amnesty may increase the level of crime for a certain time in the country, but society should understand this.

At Thursday’s press conference at Radisson Blu Iveria with tens of

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