Sunday, January 11, 2026

In brief

Former Georgian president warns corruption will break public health insurance system

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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

Man arrested for raping foreign woman in Tbilisi

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian police have arrested a man in Tbilisi on charges of raping a foreign national, according to a statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The suspect, born in 1999 and previously convicted of other offenses, was reportedly under a suspended sentence at the time of the incident. Authorities say he physically assaulted a … Read more

Protesters object to Russian soldiers competing at fencing championship

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TBILISI, DFWatch–A protest was held outside Tbilisi’s New Sports Palace, against Russian athletes competed in the World Fencing Championship. Demonstrators opposed the participation of 25 Russian fencers, out of whom they claim 17 are active military service members. Protesters carried banners reading “No Victory for Russians in Antsukhelidze’s Country” and “Antsukhelidze is Immortal,” referencing Giorgi … Read more

Librarians on strike in Kutaisi

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Employees at the Ilia Chavchavadze Scientific Library in Kutaisi have gone on strike. According to the library’s director, Nargiza Chogovadze, around 80 staff members are currently participating in the strike, with a single demand: higher wages. Chogovadze told Interpressnews that the library is funded by the Kutaisi municipal budget, and the striking workers are … Read more

Georgian PM congratulates Poland’s president-elect Karol Nawrocki

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has congratulated Karol Nawrocki on his victory in Poland’s presidential election. In a message posted on X, Kobakhidze extended his “heartfelt congratulations” and wished Nawrocki success in advancing Poland’s development and prosperity. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Georgia’s commitment to bilateral ties, stating the country stands ready to deepen cooperation … Read more

Georgia’s opposition divided over local elections boycott

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TBILISI, DFWatch–The “Stay Home” campaign, spearheaded by Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the United National Movement’s (UNM) political council, aims to delegitimize the vote by urging voters not to take part. Khabeishvili argues that participation would legitimize the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, which he accuses of authoritarianism under billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s influence. But other opposition … Read more

Remittances from Russia almost halved in August: NBG

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TBILISI, DFWatch – The number of remittances from Russia to Georgia in August decreased by 45.5 percent compared to last year and amounted to $60 million, although this country is still the leader and accounts for about a fifth of the total volume, according to the release published by the National Bank of Georgia on Friday. … Read more

Opposition demands setting up parliamentary commission to study corruption in judiciary

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TBILISI, DFWatch – The opposition appeals President Salome Zurabishvili to convene parliament’s  extraordinary session for creating special commission to study corruption in the judiciary. Opposition MPs say they have the necessary votes to set up commission. A total of 50 PMs’ votes are needed to create a temporary investigative commission, while the opposition has 56 mandates … Read more

Amid hysteria over “second front”, Abkhaz militia kicks off drills in Gali

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The pro-EU protests in Tbilisi, which forced the government to kill the highly controversial bill on “foreign agents”, have triggered a natural hysteria in occupied Abkhazia, where the narrative has stubbornly been spread as if the West is forcing Tbilisi to open a “second front”. As a climax of this hysteria, the military forces of … Read more

Georgia makes it mandatory for schools and kindergartens to display national symbols

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is making it mandatory for all schools and kindergartens to fly the national flag and display the country’s official coat of arms on their buildings. These institutions will also be required to exhibit the text of the Georgian national anthem in a prominent place. The Parliament approved in the first reading the amendments … Read more