Monthly Archives: May 2025

Georgia’s ‘foreign agents law 2.0’ comes into force

By | May 31st, 2025|Categories: News|

U.S. Senator Steve Daines meeting Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze just as the controversial law takes effect. (gov.ge) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's new 'FARA' law took effect on May 31, requiring organizations, media outlets and individuals to register as "agents of a foreign principal" if they engaging in advocacy for foreign actors. Failure to comply could result in fines [...]

Georgia will not compromise its sovereignty in pursuit of EU integration, PM Kobakhidze says at CPAC Hungary

By | May 29th, 2025|Categories: Europe|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DWWatch--Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said this in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest, which gathered traditionalist and right-wing leaders across the world. In his speech, Kobakhidze delivered a fervent defense of national sovereignty and traditional values, emphasizing Georgia's commitment to its Christian heritage and national identity. "We are [...]

Georgia’s ruling party continues to deliver on poverty reduction

By | May 29th, 2025|Categories: In brief|Tags: , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia’s official statistics agency has reported a continued decline in poverty, with the national absolute poverty rate dropping to 9.4% in 2024, down from 11.8% in 2023. The improvements span every demographic. Child poverty fell the most sharply (by 4.0 percentage points), and rural areas saw a notable 3.7-point decrease. Urban and gender gaps [...]

Ivanishvili rejects U.S. ambassador’s invitation, citing ‘personal blackmail’

By | May 28th, 2025|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch-–Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chairman of Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party, has declined a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Robin Dunnigan, explaining that he would not be free to represent the country's interests while under sanctions. Dunnigan had sought to deliver a message from the Trump administration regarding the reset in U.S.-Georgia relations, following [...]

EU launches new initiative to counter Russia in the Black Sea region

By | May 28th, 2025|Categories: In brief|

TBILISI, DFWatch-–The European Commission today announced its new Black Sea Strategy. The plan envisages enhanced cooperation among littoral states, including members Romania and Bulgaria, and non-members Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The initiative pledges €1.7 billion in funding for infrastructure, security, and other projects. Maritime Security Hub: Aims to protect infrastructure, de-mine waters, and address environmental risks.Connectivity [...]

Georgia’s embattled ruling party celebrates after receiving letter from President Trump on Independence Day

By | May 28th, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian Dream (GD) hailed a congratulatory letter from U.S. President Donald Trump to President Mikheil Kavelashvili, interpreting it as the definitibve answer to which side of the political divide he supports after months of uncertainty. The letter, released on May 26 to mark Georgia’s Independence Day, expressed Washington’s commitment to "peaceful and productive relations" and [...]

Georgia’s checks on Armenian cognac trucks trigger speculation that ‘geopolitical shifts’ are at play

By | May 27th, 2025|Categories: News|

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Frustration is mounting among Armenian alcoholic beverage exporters as their trucks carrying cognac and spirits are being stopped and checked while transiting Georgia en route to Russia, prompting diplomatic exchanges between Yerevan and Tbilisi. On May 13, Armenian beverage producers demonstrated outside the Georgian Embassy in Yerevan, alleging that Georgian authorities were deliberately hindering [...]

Georgia’s Independence Day celebrations pass without incident

By | May 26th, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: , , , |

(Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Despite deepening polarization, this year’s Independence Day celebrations in Tbilisi passed without major disruptions. Commentators credited careful planning and the physical separation of events with avoiding incidents, as the country remains engulfed in a deep political crisis where opposition leaders still, 212 days after the election, and with 180 days of continuous rallies, refuse [...]

Which May 26 events will foreign officials attend – the government’s or the opposition’s?

By | May 25th, 2025|Categories: News|

(DFWatch.) TBILISI, DFWatch--As Georgia prepares for its Independence Day celebrations, official guests will be faced with a tricky question: Whose celebration to attend? The opposition's or the government's? Or both? Which event foreign dignitaries choose to attend could signal their stance on Georgia’s deepening political crisis. After 235 days of protests bolstered by Western governments, the [...]

British journalist denied entry to Georgia

By | May 25th, 2025|Categories: News|

Will Neal. (Photo by The Daily Beast.) TBILISI, DFWatch--British journalist Will Neal, who has been a resident of Georgia since 2022, was denied re-entry into the country on May 20 after returning from a trip to the United Kingdom and the European Union. Neal was turned away at the Armenian-Georgian border without a clear explanation, according [...]

Rubio’s remarks fail to clarify Trump’s Georgia policy

By | May 23rd, 2025|Categories: News|

Vice President JD Vance swearing in Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. (Office of Vice President of the United States.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the U.S. will consider measures against anti-American governments, answering a question about Georgia. Opposition media celebrated Rubio’s comments, but the GD government downplayed them, stressing that Georgia [...]