TBILISI, October 2 – A former deputy head of Georgia’s State Security Service has been released on 500,000 lari bail after spending more than four months in custody. Levan Akhobadze, a former deputy head of the domestic intelligence agency, is charged with bribery in a wider corruption investigation involving his former boss, ex-security chief Grigol … Read more
TBILISI, October 2 – Britain has sanctioned four Georgian citizens as part of a new package targeting people accused of spreading Kremlin-supporting disinformation, Interpressnews reported. The four Georgians named in the measures are Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, Giorgi Iremadze, Mamuka Pipia and Paata Abuladze. According to the British government, the latest package covers seven individuals in total, … Read more
TBILISI, October 1 – Georgia summoned Iran’s ambassador after a social media post about Queen Ketevan triggered unusually broad criticism in Tbilisi, with politicians from both the government and opposition accusing the diplomat of going beyond his role. Iranian Ambassador Seyed Ali Moujani had projected an image of Queen Ketevan onto the facade of the … Read more
TBILISI, October 1 – Heavy rain caused flooding and traffic problems in Batumi and nearby Makhinjauri on Tuesday, with several streets and residential yards under water and a landslide partially blocking a major road, Interpressnews reported. Batumi City Hall said several streets and the yards of residential buildings were flooded after the downpour. Municipal crews … Read more
TBILISI, September 30 – A delegation from the Moscow Patriarchate met Georgian Orthodox Church leader Shio III in Tbilisi on Wednesday. The main topic was the status of church life in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russian delegation was led by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, who heads the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations. … Read more
TBILISI, September 30 – Georgia’s draft 2027 state budget would raise public sector salaries, pensions and spending on health and education. The base salary used in the public sector would rise to 1,735 lari next year, lifting salaries for public employees by up to 8.4%. The overall public-sector wage bill would increase by 395 million … Read more
TBILISI, September 29 – A ruling Georgian Dream lawmaker says Georgia’s opposition could be reshaped again before the 2028 parliamentary election, arguing that foreign actors will try to rearrange parties to appeal to different groups of voters. Levan Machavariani made the claim in a lengthy post published Monday, describing most opposition parties as parts of … Read more
TBILISI, September 29 – Georgia’s parliament is considering changes that would sharply raise the income threshold for paying property tax. A bill submitted to parliament on Monday would scrap the current 40,000-lari household income threshold and leave only a 100,000-lari threshold for property tax liability. The amendments to the Tax Code have already been presented … Read more
TBILISI, September 29 – Georgia and Ukraine played out a goalless draw in Tbilisi on Monday night in the second round of the Nations League. The match at Dinamo Arena ended 0-0, giving Georgia its first point of the campaign after an opening-round defeat to Northern Ireland. Ukraine had started its campaign with a 1-0 … Read more
TBILISI, September 28 – Georgia on Sunday marked 33 years since the fall of Sukhumi, one of the most painful dates in the country’s recent history, with flags lowered, wreaths laid and a nighttime march through the capital. State flags were lowered on government and other administrative buildings across Georgia on September 27 in memory … Read more