TBILISI, September 1 – Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of playing a direct role in what he called “anti-state activities” and revolutionary processes in the country. Speaking to reporters, Kobakhidze said the matter is now in the hands of investigators and stressed that “everyone is obliged to cooperate with the … Read more
TBILISI, August 13 – Levan Makhashvili, head of parliament’s EU Integration Committee, says a strong voter turnout for the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) in the October 4 local elections would send a clear signal to the ‘Brussels bureaucracy’ against what he calls a pressure campaign on Georgia. The EU has voiced concerns over recent Georgian … Read more
TBILISI, August 12 – A group of 19 journalists and camera operators who were injured during street protests in March 2023 have sued Georgia at the European Court of Human Rights. The demonstrations took place after parliament passed the first reading of the controversial foreign influence law, and saw police use force to disperse crowds. … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – In a speech in Geneva, Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed excessive foreign interference has harmed the development of Georgia’s democracy, calling instead for international actors to respect national sovereignty. In a speech at the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, the speaker claimed that some foreign-funded NGOs in … Read more
TBILISI, July 30 – Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) has published a list of individuals it claims have been sanctioned by nine Western countries in recent years. The group states that over 230 people affiliated with Georgian Dream (GD), including judges, prosecutors, members of parliament, government ministers, and security officials, have been subjected to visa … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–A leading opposition figure has welcomed Lithuania’s decision to impose visa bans on ten additional Georgian officials, calling it a step toward isolating the country’s ruling elite from the “civilized world.” Lithuania’s diplomatic move brings the total number of Georgian citizens facing Lithuanian entry restrictions to 112. Grigol Gegelia the opposition party Lelo – … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s ruling party has proposed new amendments to the country’s grant law, expanding the definition of what constitutes a foreign grant and reinforcing government control over external funding. The revised legislation, presented to parliament for a second reading, deals how to categorize technical assistance, such as training, equipment, and expert consultations, from foreign governments … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s ruling party has proposed new amendments to the country’s grant law, expanding the definition of what constitutes a foreign grant and reinforcing government control over external funding. The revised legislation, presented to parliament for a second reading, deals how to categorize technical assistance, such as training, equipment, and expert consultations, from foreign governments … Read more
The opposition is creating a coordination council to resist the adoption of controversial bill on “foreign (influence) agents” by the ruling Georgian Dream, which is widely perceived as a kind of foreign policy U-turn for Georgia – distancing the country from its Western allies and bringing it closer to Putin’s Russia. “A coordination council has … Read more
Verbal and physical confrontation followed the start of consideration of the anti-Western bill initiated by a political group close to the ruling Georgian Dream in the parliament on Thursday. The opposition urged supporters to gather at the parliament immediately in order to prevent such a step, which will be a big U-turn on the path … Read more