DFWatch staff 
TBILISI, July 31 – Georgia may face increasing political isolation and domestic instability unless its current leadership changes course, according to analyst Vakhtang Dzabiradze. He warns that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party’s recent rhetoric and actions reflect a clear shift away from European integration. In a wide-ranging interview, constitutional lawyer and political analyst Vakhtang … Read more
TBILISI, July 31 – Two of the opposition’s figureheads are in Washington D.C. to lobby for the U.S. Congress introducing sanctions against Georgia to force the country to adhere to democratic standards. Strong Georgia – Lelo’s leaders, Salome Samadashvili and Grigol Gegelia, travelled to Washington D.C. to meet Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw. According to the … Read more
TBILISI, July 31 – The Georgian government has scored a major victory in its long-running Anaklia deep-sea port dispute, as the it wins an arbitration case, confirming it was in its right to terminate the project. The ruling by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington dismissed claims filed by Bob Meijer … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – In a speech in Geneva, Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed excessive foreign interference has harmed the development of Georgia’s democracy, calling instead for international actors to respect national sovereignty. In a speech at the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, the speaker claimed that some foreign-funded NGOs in … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) has published a list of individuals it claims have been sanctioned by nine Western countries in recent years. The group states that over 230 people affiliated with Georgian Dream (GD), including judges, prosecutors, members of parliament, government ministers, and security officials, have been subjected to visa … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, has issued a strongly worded public statement ahead of the final court hearing in the trial of editor Mzia Amaglobeili, calling it a defining moment for the country’s future. Writing on social media, Zourabichvili described 1 August as a watershed date, saying it would mark a … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream (Gd) party has announced that Kakha Kaladze will be its candidate for mayor of the capital Tbilisi. The announcement was made via the party’s social media channels. An official presentation is expected on July 31. Kaladze, a former professional footballer and energy minister, is running for a … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A political analyst claims the a “criminal operation” is unfolding within Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, aimed at reclaiming assets allegedly obtained through corruption by former and current officials. According to Gia Khukhashvili, the effort is being driven by GD founder and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who, he claims, has faced recent … Read more
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