Friday, December 19, 2025

Kristali director to face trial for chlorine leak

On this plot south of Tbilisi, chlorine leaked from a tank Tuesday evening, injuring about 80 people. (Photo: Londa Beria.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The Chair of Kristali Ltd, the company responsible for a chlorine leak on Tuesday, was Friday sentenced to pre-trial detention.

July 3, a chlorine leak in the Lilo district of Tbilisi poisoned around 80 people.

Georgian Water Company said it was

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Reshuffle continues in Georgia's government

Georgia's Interior Ministry for seven years denied that Data Akhalaia was the head of the secret police, "Kudi", which has raided and interrogated the opposition. Now he is deputy in the defense ministry, where his brother used to be at the top.(IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The brother of Interior Minister Bacho Abkhalaia, Data Akhalaia, has been appointed to the post of deputy defense minister. He was head of the Interior Ministry’s Constitutional Security Department.

Data Akhalaia resigned after it became known

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Stalkers with cameras followed journalist for a week

Almost a dozen stalkers have been terrorizing journalist Eka Dugbaldze for a week. A strange 'exposé' apparently based on their footage was produced by pro-government online television iTV.ge. (Channel 9 screengrab.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – A journalist from an online media outlet financed by Channel 9 has been stalked for a week by a group of up to ten people with video cameras asking her weird questions.

Ekaterine Dugladze is a journalist at info9.ge, a new website financed by Channel 9,

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Van Rompuy calls for fair elections in Georgia

European Council President Herman Van Rompoy calls for a fair election environment in Georgia. Parliamentary elections are expected in October. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch –European Council President Herman Van Rompuy says the upcoming elections will be a crucial indicator of the progress Georgia has made on its path to reform.

He thereby added his voice to many figures in the international community who continue

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Three detained in killing of former Georgian general

Roman Dumbadze sided with the rebels during a stand-off between Adjara and Tbilisi in 2004, a decision he was sentenced to 17 years in prison for. May 21, 2012, he was assassinated in Moscow. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – A court in Moscow has placed three persons into pre-trial detention until August 21, accused of killing a former Georgian general.

Roman Dumbadze sided with the rebels during a stand-off between the region Adjara and Tbilisi authorities, a

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UN calls for Georgia's internal refugees to be let to return

Georgia's UN Ambassador, Alexander Lomaia, says it won't be long until there is support from a majority of UN states for allowing refugees to return to their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The UN General Assembly July 3 passed a resolution calling for internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia and so called South Ossetia, Tskhinvali region, to be let to return home.

It was a humanitarian resolution, addressing demographic

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Chlorine leak poisoned dozens in Tbilisi

During the chlorine leak, a bus passed by. Most of those inside were poisoned. The tanker shown in this photo is not the one that leaked chlorine. (Photo: Londa Beria.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – A chlorine leak in Tbilisi yesterday evening poinsoned more than 80 people. One person is in a comatose condition.

The leak happened around nine in the evening at a private industrial area in the Lilo district on the southern edge of the capital.

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Government's newfound leftism considered suspicious

Critics say the new prime minister, Vano Merabishvili, is talking like a leftist, and consider his election promises suspicious. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – The government’s action plan ‘More Benefits to People’ is entirely based on social issues. This is now sparking criticism from experts and government opponents.

The first promise new Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili made was to give each family

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