TBILISI, January 20 – Georgia’s president Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned 159 convicted people late Monday as a gesture of clemency in connection with the Orthodox Epiphany celebration. But hours later, there was confusion among families and supporters over who, exactly, made the list. Kavelashvili’s press service announced at 10:33 p.m. on Monday that the president had … Read more
TBILISI, January 19 – A ruling party lawmaker said on Monday that people detained during recent protests are unlikely to receive presidential pardons unless they admit guilt and show genuine remorse. Levan Makhashvili, chair of the parliament’s European Integration Committee, told reporters that the president has clearly set conditions for granting pardons. According to Makhashvili, … Read more
TBILISI, January 2 – Georgia welcomed 2026 with the usual New Year sparkle, but also with the same political tension that has kept nightly protests going in central Tbilisi. On Wednesday evening, December 31, protesters remained gathered outside the country’s parliament, where they have been gathering daily for over a year. Their core demands stayed … Read more
TBILISI, December 18 – Georgia’s President Mikheil Kavelashvili met Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Thursday. The two sides talked about closer cooperation and prepared for upcoming talks on trade and economy. Kavelashvili’s press service said the leaders discussed deepening ties in political, economic, technological and cultural areas during a one-on-one meeting at the … Read more
TBILISI, September 27 – Georgian president Mikheil Kavelashvili attended a formal dinner in New York hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The event was held in honor of the heads of delegations participating in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Kavelashvili shared a photo with the U.S. … Read more
TBILISI, September 25 – Georgia’s president used the UN General Assembly’s 80th session to call for dialogue and cooperation at what he described as a turning point in modern history. Mikheil Kavelashvili told delegates that the world is living through a transitional era, with the shape of the future international order still unclear. He said … Read more
TBILISI, September 11 – Mikheil Kavelashvili has used social media to comment on the reported killing of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, describing it as politically motivated. Kavelashvili wrote that Kirk’s death was “horrifying” and directly linked to his outspoken conservative views, criticism of liberal ideology, and opposition to LGBT rights. He called Kirk “another … Read more
TBILISI, September 1 – In an open letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, Georgia’s president, Mikheil Kavelashvili, urged Washington to reset the strategic partnership between the two countries. Kavelashvili praised Trump’s role in strengthening ties with Georgia’s neighbors, from helping broker peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan to renewing dialogue with Turkey and even with Russia. … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–President Mikheil Kavelashvili from Georgian Dream (GD) offers to pardons jailed opposition leaders, under the condition that they agree to participate in the upcoming local elections. He framed the offer as a constitutional initiative aimed at supporting democratic participation. But the offer sparked mixed reactions, especially among opposition groups who see the move more … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–The opposition party “Lelo for Strong Georgia” has announced its decision to participate in the October 4 local elections, splitting from a bloc of parties calling for an electoral boycott. The announcement came days after President Mikheil Kavelashvili offered to pardon jailed opposition leaders, including Lelo founders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, if they … Read more