Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Opposition party returns to parliament after year-long boycott

TBILISI, October 20 – The opposition party For Georgia (“sakartvelostvis”) said on Monday it will end its year-long boycott of the legislature, switching sides among a deeply divided opposition. With party founder Giorgi Gakharia currently in exile, the dramatic switchover was announced at a press briefing by a deputy leader, Giorgi Sharashidze, and means the … Read more

Will Gakharia be the October Surprise?

TBILISI, September 1 – Former Georgian prime minister Giorgi Gakharia has been outside the country for more than two months, and on August 30 local media reported that he has received residency in Germany. His party, For Georgia, which is running a joint candidate with Lelo for Tbilisi mayor, did not confirm the claim but … Read more

Georgian Prosecutor’s Office questions two former officials about 2019 border incident

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office on Wednesday questioned two former officials as part of an investigation into a 2019 border incident near Russian-controlled South Ossetia. The case centers on the deployment of a border detachment under Georgia’s State Security Service (SSSG), which reportedly entered the Chorchana area without proper coordination. A police checkpoint was established … Read more

Georgian Prosecutor's Office questions two former officials about 2019 border incident

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office on Wednesday questioned two former officials as part of an investigation into a 2019 border incident near Russian-controlled South Ossetia. The case centers on the deployment of a border detachment under Georgia’s State Security Service (SSSG), which reportedly entered the Chorchana area without proper coordination. A police checkpoint was established … Read more

Georgia to put ex-PM and opposition figure on trial ahead of elections

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation targeting former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia over a controversial 2019 security incident near the breakaway region of South Ossetia—a dramatic development ahead of the country’s October elections. Gakharia currently leads one of the few opposition parties willing to take part in the local elections later this year. … Read more

Georgia’s former PM, leader of opposition party, called to testify at parliamentary committee

TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has been summoned a second time to testify before Georgia’s parliamentary investigative commission. The commission is examining decisions surrounding the establishment of a Georgian police outpost near the village of Chorchana in 2019, close to the administrative boundary line with the Russian-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia. According to … Read more

Former PM, now leader of opposition party, faces possible charges over 2019 border standoff

TBILISI, DFWatch–In Georgia, prosecutors have reopened case about a 2019 border incident involving former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who is the leader of one of the few opposition parties planning to participate in this year’s local elections in October. The investigation centers on events in the village of Chorchana, near the de facto boundary with … Read more

NDI poll predicts bleak future for opposition parties in 2024 unless they somehow manage to unite

A poll commissioned by the US National Democratic Institute has once again shown the dire, and one might say catastrophic, situation faced by most political parties in Georgia a year before benchmark general elections. According to the release published by NDI on Monday, if parliamentary elections were to be held now, presumably only the ruling … Read more

Ivanishvili rejects rumors of links to his ex-PM's new party

TBILISI, DFWatch–The founder of Georgia’s ruling party has publicly dispelled rumors that he is secretly supporting the former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia’s new political party. In a letter published on Monday, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili called Gakharia a “traitor” and categorically ruled out collaborating with the party he founded. Gakharia, who was the most popular among … Read more

A PM who recently resigned is Georgia's most popular politician

TBILISI, DFWatch–A recently retired prime minister is one of Georgia’s most popular politicians, according to a new survey published by the International Republican Institute (IRI) on Monday. Giorgi Gakharia, who resigned in February citing disagreement with his party colleagues over the detention of UNM leader Nika Melia, is liked by 65% ​​of respondents, far more … Read more