DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, DFWatch-–Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chairman of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, has declined a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Robin Dunnigan, explaining that he would not be free to represent the country’s interests while under sanctions. Dunnigan had sought to deliver a message from the Trump administration regarding the reset in U.S.-Georgia relations, following … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch-–The European Commission today announced its new Black Sea Strategy. The plan envisages enhanced cooperation among littoral states, including members Romania and Bulgaria, and non-members Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The initiative pledges €1.7 billion in funding for infrastructure, security, and other projects. Maritime Security Hub: Aims to protect infrastructure, de-mine waters, and address environmental … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Dream (GD) hailed a congratulatory letter from U.S. President Donald Trump to President Mikheil Kavelashvili, interpreting it as the definitibve answer to which side of the political divide he supports after months of uncertainty. The letter, released on May 26 to mark Georgia’s Independence Day, expressed Washington’s commitment to “peaceful and productive relations” … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Frustration is mounting among Armenian alcoholic beverage exporters as their trucks carrying cognac and spirits are being stopped and checked while transiting Georgia en route to Russia, prompting diplomatic exchanges between Yerevan and Tbilisi. On May 13, Armenian beverage producers demonstrated outside the Georgian Embassy in Yerevan, alleging that Georgian authorities were deliberately hindering … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Despite deepening polarization, this year’s Independence Day celebrations in Tbilisi passed without major disruptions. Commentators credited careful planning and the physical separation of events with avoiding incidents, as the country remains engulfed in a deep political crisis where opposition leaders still, 212 days after the election, and with 180 days of continuous rallies, refuse … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–As Georgia prepares for its Independence Day celebrations, official guests will be faced with a tricky question: Whose celebration to attend? The opposition’s or the government’s? Or both? Which event foreign dignitaries choose to attend could signal their stance on Georgia’s deepening political crisis. After 235 days of protests bolstered by Western governments, the … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–British journalist Will Neal, who has been a resident of Georgia since 2022, was denied re-entry into the country on May 20 after returning from a trip to the United Kingdom and the European Union. Neal was turned away at the Armenian-Georgian border without a clear explanation, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the U.S. will consider measures against anti-American governments, answering a question about Georgia. Opposition media celebrated Rubio’s comments, but the GD government downplayed them, stressing that Georgia was not explicitly mentioned. Rubio’s testimony in the U.S. Senate has fueled widespread speculation among Georgian analysts and political … Read more
The three lawsuits filed in the Constitutional Court of Georgia on the Law on “Transparency of Foreign Influence” will be combined into one proceeding, CCG Chairman Merab Turava said to the journalist on Monday, adding “I don’t think that I and my judges have any less European aspirations than you.” The President of Georgia, more … Read more
Tbilisi, DFWatch-Over a hundred non-governmental and media organizations declare their open disobedience to the foreign influence draft law initiated by the Georgian authorities and suspend all cooperation with the government “until the Russian Law is dropped.” In addition, as stated in the joint statement, they invite people to protest the bill on Sunday, at 19:00, … Read more