Friday, June 19, 2026

Ex-president launches another call to unite Georgia’s opposition

TBILISI, June 16 – Former Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili has called for a new “united front” against the ruling Georgian Dream party, but the idea was met with irritation and skepticism from parts of the opposition. Zourabichvili wrote on Facebook on June 14 that trust in the “regime” was being lost even among its most … Read more

Could Georgians lose visa-free travel to Europe?

TBILISI, June 16 – What would happen if Brussels extended the visa-free entry ban to all Georgian citizens? The EU suspended visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports from March 6 for an initial 12-month period. The European Commission said the step was a response to what it described as violent … Read more

Which Tbilisi district has the most polluted air?

TBILISI, June 15 — If you live or work near Tsereteli Avenue, the air around you has been among the dirtiest measured in Tbilisi this year. We know this because of data produced by a monitoring station on Tsereteli Avenue, which recorded the highest number of daily PM10 pollution exceedances in the capital during the … Read more

Fourteen more October 4 detainees released after plea deals

TBILISI, June 11 – Fourteen more defendants in Georgia’s “October 4” case were released from court on Wednesday after accepting plea agreements with prosecutors. The case concerns events near the Atoneli Palace, the presidential residence in central Tbilisi, on October 4. The release of detainees has been one of the main demands raised by Georgia’s … Read more

GW #2: Detainees released, Washington turns to Georgia, and Middle Corridor

This is the second issue of Georgia Week, DFWatch’s weekly briefing with news, background, opinion and archive content. This week’s stories show a new development in Georgia’s political crisis. Several October 4 protest defendants are now being released or are expected to be released under plea agreements, partly meeting one of the opposition movement’s central … Read more

US House passes Georgia bill targeting Russian and Chinese influence

TBILISI, June 9 – The US House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring the Trump administration to assess Russian and Chinese intelligence activity in Georgia. The bill, H.R. 7668, is called the Countering China’s Control of the Caucasus Act, according to Interpressnews and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. It was introduced in Congress on February … Read more

Seven rally detainees walk free as opposition demand partly met

TBILISI, June 9 – Seven people detained in Georgia’s “October 4” case were released from the courtroom on Tuesday after a judge approved plea agreements with prosecutors. The case concerns events near the Atoneli Palace, the presidential residence in central Tbilisi, on October 4. The release of detainees has been one of the main demands … Read more

Georgia close to releasing detained protesters, a key opposition demand

TBILISI, June 9 – More defendants in Georgia’s “October 4” case are expected to walk free after agreeing to plea deals with prosecutors. Releasing those detained at protests has been one of the main demands by Georgia’s opposition protesters since the parliamentary election in October, 2024. Interpressnews now reports that some could be released already … Read more

Eight more October 4 defendants reach plea deals

TBILISI, June 5 – Eight more defendants in Georgia’s October 4 case are set to receive plea agreements, adding to an earlier group of seven defendants expected to be released under similar deals. The case concerns events near the Atoneli Palace, Georgia’s presidential residence in central Tbilisi, on October 4. Interpressnews reported Friday that the … Read more