DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, DFWatch–Transparency International Georgia has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving a local mayor and a series of state contracts worth over 7 million GEL (about 2.3 million USD). The contracts were awarded to a company owned by the father of the mayor’s former business partner and close friend. The company in question, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A leading opposition figure has welcomed Lithuania’s decision to impose visa bans on ten additional Georgian officials, calling it a step toward isolating the country’s ruling elite from the “civilized world.” Lithuania’s diplomatic move brings the total number of Georgian citizens facing Lithuanian entry restrictions to 112. Grigol Gegelia the opposition party Lelo – … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A senior Georgian Dream (GD) official has accused Lithuania’s political elite of behaving like Soviet bureaucrats, following the Baltic country’s decision to expand visa bans on Georgian officials. The latest visa restrictions adds ten more individuals to a growing list of Georgians barred from entering Lithuania, bringing the total to 112. In a public … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The push from Georgian Dream (GD) party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili to challenge Western-funded NGOs should be seen not as a turn toward Russia, but as an attempt to assert greater political autonomy, according to political analyst Mirian Mirianashvili. In an interview with Interpressnews, he argued that recent political developments in Georgia reflect a broader … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–One of the defendants in a trial of alleged group violence during recent protests has challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s evidence, questioning the authenticity of a video recording purportedly capturing his voice. During a court hearing, Vepkhia Kasradze questioned why no forensic analysis had been conducted to verify the authenticity of the audio. … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is seeing a slowdown in mortgage lending, driven by high interest rates and broader economic uncertainty. According to the National Bank of Georgia, commercial banks issued 24,000 new mortgage loans in the first half of 2025, down 13% compared to the same period last year. Despite the decline in the number of loans, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former president of Georgia, has issued a stark warning about the country’s healthcare system, predicting its collapse within a year due to alleged widespread corruption and chronic underfunding. Writing on social media from detention, Saakashvili claimed that massive corruption in Georgia’s public health insurance system is driving medical professionals out … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Lithuania has imposed visa sanctions on ten more Georgian citizens, effectively barring them from entering the country. This brings the total number of Georgian nationals facing such restrictions to 112, according to a searchable database maintained by Lithuania’s Migration Department. The individuals newly added to the list include judges, prosecutors, parliament members, and government … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–In the remote high-altitude villages of southwestern Georgia, youngsters are leaving while remaining residents have to deal with limited internet access, sparse infrastructure, and regulatory hurdles. Many young people are leaving settlements like Ghorjomi and Didachara in search of work, while those who remain struggle with poor communications networks and unresolved land registration issues, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Giorgi Vashadze, a former UNM-era official and current opposition figure who is in pre-trial detention, has issued a renewed appeal for unity among Georgia’s pro-Western political parties and activist groups. Writing from prison, Vashadze proposed forming a joint “unified resistance center” ahead of the country’s upcoming local elections on October 4. His message was … Read more