TBILISI, May 25 – Georgia’s Independence Day is turning into a political standoff, with the government preparing official celebrations and the opposition planning a protest march that may end in a clash over whether a stage can be set up near parliament. The opposition says it will gather at 7pm on Tuesday, May 26, outside … Read more
TBILISI, May 25 – Georgia’s government is again talking about possible pardons for people detained during anti-government protests. But its condition has not changed: prisoners must admit guilt and show remorse first. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Monday that the government had already made its position public and had also shared it several times with … Read more
TBILISI, May 24 – The government’s and opposition’s plans for Independence Day show how divided the country is politically. The government is preparing official celebrations for May 26, the day Georgia marks the declaration of its first republic in 1918. Opposition groups and civic activists are preparing a protest march the same evening, saying the … Read more
TBILISI, May 24 – Anti-government protesters marched through central Tbilisi on Saturday, as the government is preparing for the Independence Day festivities. The demonstrators gathered near the Philharmonic Hall and then moved toward parliament in what has become known as the traditional “Saturday march.” Participants carried Georgian and European Union flags. They also held a … Read more
TBILISI, May 21 – An opposition politician has warned that a controversial construction site in Tbilisi could put nearby residents at risk, saying expert reports point to a high danger of falling rocks and rockslides. Lana Galdava, a member of Strong Georgia-Lelo, spoke Thursday at Giorgi Danelia Street, where she said construction work had begun … Read more
TBILISI, May 19 – A German city’s move to freeze official contacts with Tbilisi has triggered a furious response from the Georgian capital’s mayor, turning a 51-year-old city partnership into another front in Georgia’s row with Europe. Saarbrücken, capital of the German state of Saarland, has been partnered with Tbilisi since 1975. The city’s own … Read more
TBILISI, May 14 – Police detained student Elene Gelashvili in the courtyard of the Agricultural University in Tbilisi, after a court sentenced her to two days of administrative detention. The detention took place on Wednesday, May 13, according to Interpressnews. A police officer said at the scene that Gelashvili was being detained on the basis … Read more
TBILISI, May 9 – Georgian courts have ordered five law enforcement officers held in custody over violence during the 2024 protests, including attacks on Formula TV journalist Guram Rogava, protester Zviad Maisashvili and opposition politician Levan Khabeishvili. The cases mark one of the most concrete legal moves so far over police violence during the protest … Read more
TBILISI, May 7 – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met U.S. State Department official Sonata Coulter in Tbilisi on Thursday, as both sides looked for a way to repair relations after years of tension. Coulter is a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. State Department. Her visit is being watched closely in Georgia, where the … Read more
TBILISI, May 3 – Protesters marched through central Tbilisi on Saturday to support media freedom and show solidarity with detained journalist Mzia Amaglobeli. The march began near the Tbilisi Concert Hall, and headed toward parliament, where anti-government protesters have been gathering for more than a year. Participants carried a large banner reading: “Freedom for Mzia, … Read more