DFWatch staff 
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
TBILISI, DFWatch–A new opinion poll suggests that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party remains the largest political force in the country. According to the poll, which was carried out by GORBI for Georgian broadcaster Imedi, 56.2% of likely voters would support GD if elections were held this week. The results show a fragmented opposition landscape, … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Georgia’s new ambassador to the United States, Tamar Taliashvili, at the White House on Friday. During the meeting, held in the Oval Office, Ambassador Taliashvili formally presented her credentials and conveyed a message from the Georgian government calling for a renewed chapter in … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s State Security Service has arrested three persons; among them, a former deputy defense minister, in connection with the alleged embezzlement of over 1.3 million GEL (approximately USD 480,000) in public funds. According to the SSS, the case involves the misuse of funds allocated for the purchase of medical equipment for the Ministry of … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian police have arrested four individuals and charged them with drug-related offenses involving the illegal purchase, storage, distribution, and facilitation of narcotics, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. The arrests followed an investigation conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Officials say the suspects had acquired and stored several types and quantities of drugs, including … Read more