Friday, December 26, 2025

Georgian Olympic athlete let down due to opposition sympathies

Betkil Shukvani (left) lost a judo match and says the Georgian Olympic team didn't back him up after an unfair decision by the referee. He says all athletes are divided in pro-government and pro-opposition camps now. Georgian Dream spokesperson Maia Panjikidze to his right. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – A Georgian athlete says he might have been subject to political harassment at the London Olympics.

July 28, the Georgian sportsman Betkil Shukvani lost against an Australian in a judo match and then unexpectedly left the Olympics

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Polling institute's bank accounts seized

Teona Akubardia, chair of GDRI's council, says she went to the bank and discovered that she couldn't carry out any transactions. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – By decision of Tbilisi City Court the bank accounts of Georgian Development Research Institutes (GDRI) were seized. The leadership of the organization doesn’t know the reason, but suspect that it is because of a donation from Bidzina Ivanishvili.

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Bank account frozen because of opposition sympathies

Lasha Natsvlishvili's bank accounts were frozen. (Ambebi.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – Another opposition sympathizer in Georgia has had his bank account frozen.

By decision of Tbilisi City Court, all bank accounts belonging to former Deputy Security Minister Lasha Natsvlishvili were seized. Currently, Natsvlishvili is not a member

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Fatal car crash allegedly involving president's escort

Witnesses say one of the cars escorting President Saakashvili was involved, but the government says it was a car belonging to the special state protection service, which has a more general role, but also works with protecting the president. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – Witnesses say one of President Saakashvili’s escort cars was involved in a car accident on the highway near Gori, which left a driver of another car dead and four others injured.

Witnesses say one of the president’s escort cars crashed into

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Government took millions in loans while running Cartu Bank

When director Nodar Javakhishvili and the rest of the management of Cartu Bank regained control, they discovered that the government's people had taken USD 50 million in loans, started an expensive refurbishment project, and given premiums to employees, which they believe was done to hurt the bank financially. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – While the opposition affiliated Cartu Bank was temporarily under state management recently, USD 50 million was taken in loans.

The bank, which is associated with President Saakashvili’s main competitor Bidzina Ivanishvili, plans to go to court

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Former AC Milan player Kakhi Kaladze denied appeal hearing

Kakhi Kaladze says what is happening to him is political persecution. Georgia's chief prosecutor has frozen his bank accounts in connection with an investigation about money laundering. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The former footballer, now opposition campaigner Kakhi Kaladze has been deprived of the right to appeal the seizure of his bank accounts.

This news was relayed by Shalva Tadumadze, a lawyer for the former AC Milan player.

Tbilisi City Court

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