Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Ivanishivili changes plans: won't leave power

Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili has repeatedly said that if he won government power in Georgia, he would only keep it for a few years, and then leave politics. Now he says he might stay in power. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who recently became prime minister of Georgia, is considering going back on a promise to leave politics in a year and a half.

During the election campaign, Ivanishvili claimed that he would leave politics

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Georgia's new parliament is privately owned

An inquest found that the new parliament building in Kutaisi is owned by a private company. Now, it might be turned into a university. (DFWatch photo.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The Georgian parliament has decided to study the expenses spent on constructing an entirely new building for the assembly in the city Kutaisi, in western Georgia.

It was a controversial decision from the start to move parliament to the west, made

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President's security unit turned into paramilitary force

The Special State Protection Service is being turned into a paramilitary force answering directly to President Saakashvili. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The majority in parliament wants the government to take control over the Special State Protection Service (SSPS). Today, this security force answers directly to the president.

Parliament’s committee on human rights today reviewed the issue.

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Court heard new charges against top general

The accused former general Giorgi Kalandadze was let free without bail after the court heard a third round of charges. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Tbilisi City Court on Wednesday has released the accused former head of the General Headquarters from detention for a third time as he awaits trial for beating and harassing his subordinates.

The Prosecutor’s Office asked the court to detain

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Lidington visits Georgia

David Lidington, UK Minister of State for Europe. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — David Lidington, the UK’s Minister of State for Europe, will visit Georgia on November 21 and 22.

Wednesday, he will meet with President Mikheil Saakashvili, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, Maia Panjikidze, Foreign Affairs Minister, Giga

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Saakashvili compares Ivanishvili with Robespierre

President Mikheil Saakashvili compares Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili with the French revolutionary leader Robespierre because of a series of criminal cases against former members of government. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — President Mikheil Saakashvili calls on the new government to start fulfilling its election promises and stop vengeance, comparing Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili with the French revolutionary leader Maximilien de Robespierre.

He drew attention

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Okruashvili case postponed

Listeners applauded when Irakli Okruashvili, former defense minister, entered Tbilisi City Court Tuesday afternoon. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The court hearing for former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was postponed till December 3 at the request of his lawyers.

Okruashvili served as minister in Saakashvili’s government, but left in 2007 and has since been living in France, where he has

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