Saturday, December 13, 2025

Georgia extends state of emergency, vows to ease some restrictions in May

Georgia extends state of emergency by one month till May 22. “This decision will allow us to prepare for the lifting of restrictions,” said President Salome Zurabishvili on Tuesday, after announcing the decree. “The measures undertaken during this month helped us to control and check the spread and scale of the disease. However, the challenge … Read more

Ex-defense minister sentenced for participating in Gavrilov Night clashes

Irakli Okruashvili, who served for various important offices under President Mikheil Saakashvili in early 2000s, was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday for taking part in the Gavrilov Night clashes with police. Initially he was accused of attempting coup d’état but later was charged with organizing of and participating group violence by the … Read more

Prominent Georgian doctor says the country will overcome pandemic with minimal losses

The peak of covid19 pandemic in Georgia will come in two or three weeks, a prominent medical doctor of infectious diseases said on Tuesday, adding that he predicts total number of cases at about 1,000. “Georgia will overcome this harshest challenge with minimal losses,” said Dr. Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Director of the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and … Read more

Additional flights designated to evacuate stranded Georgians, but much more still needed

Georgia designates additional emergency flights to evacuate its nationals from abroad due to covid19 pandemic. However, the demand is so high the carrier’s sales portal was virtually flooded and broken in few minutes after sales started for the first flight. Up to 5,000 Georgians have been evacuated since Covid19 outbreak from different countries, the government … Read more

Full list of businesses permitted during quarantine

The government of Georgia on Tuesday released a list of 18 “economic directions”, which are permitted to keen on their activities during tightened quarantine measures. The list includes: – Medical facilities. – Businesses related to production, distribution and sale of food, and related commodities, including products for pets, veterinary, pesticides, packing materials, etc. – Mills, … Read more

Covid19 update: Georgia bans public gatherings, passenger traffic

Georgia introduces new measures to tackle covid19 spread inside the country as total number of cases reaches 61 with seven new cases reported on Monday. The decree issued by the government on March 23 bans all social gatherings which involve ten people or more, including funerals, weddings, birthday parties, rallies, etc. The decree has been … Read more

Azerbaijan unexpectedly frees journalist who was secretly abducted in Tbilisi three years ago

Azerbaijan’s authorities released on Tuesday Afgan Mukhtarli, an investigative journalist convicted on falsified charges. The released was ordered by the court, his lawyer Neymat Karimli said. He immediately left the country and flew to Germany, his wife Leyla Mustafayeva said. The release might be connected to Nowruz celebrations, Azerbaijan’s news agency Turan reports. Afgan Mukhtarli, … Read more

Georgian government says “no threat of epidemic outbreak”

No new cases of coronavirus, except the one confirmed on Wednesday, have reported in Georgia so far, and public officials affirm citizens that situation is under control. “At this stage in Georgia there is no risk of a widespread coronavirus infection and therefore there is no threat of the epidemic outbreak,” said health minister Ekaterine … Read more

Georgia ponders suspending flights to Iran fearing coronavirus pandemic

Georgia ponders suspending direct flights to Iran amid the growing fear of coronavirus outbreak in the country. The government of Georgia has been discussing the issue for two days, said Amiran Gamkrelidze, the director of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). Ultimately, the final decision is up to a special coordination … Read more

Saakashvili government strongman release from prison, promised to topple “regime”

“I ensure you this government will be finished in a year,” said Vano Merabishvili, former PM and ex-minister of interior, on Thursday after release from prison where he served almost seven years. Merabishvili was an iconic figure in the government led by Mikheil Saakashvili and one of his closest allies. He’s been widely regarded in … Read more