Wednesday, July 31, 2025

Former Georgian president warns corruption will break public health insurance system

TBILISI, DFWatch–Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former president of Georgia, has issued a stark warning about the country’s healthcare system, predicting its collapse within a year due to alleged widespread corruption and chronic underfunding. Writing on social media from detention, Saakashvili claimed that massive corruption in Georgia’s public health insurance system is driving medical professionals out … Read more

Situation surrounding Saakashvili can ruin Georgia’s EU aspirations, ambassadors say to GD government

The ambassadors of the EU member states warned the Georgian government at a meeting behind closed doors that the situation surrounding the former president Mikheil Saakashvili could put an end to Georgia’s European aspirations, Tbilisi-based Russian-language news website Sova reports relying on its own sources. At Wednesday’s meeting with Justice Minister Rati Bregadze, the heads … Read more

Saakashvili claims Putin personally ordered his assassination by poisoning

The imprisoned former President of Georgia states that the sharp deterioration of his health condition is related to poisoning, which was ordered by Vladimir Putin of Russia. “Putin really ordered me to be killed in prison. American toxicologists have determined that I was poisoned in prison and that this caused all my symptoms. I’m trying … Read more

"Do not break up the trio" – Former leaders of Georgia ask the EU to grant candidate status

Georgia’s two former presidents and four ex-speakers of parliament appeal the EU not to oust Georgia from the “trio” and to grant it candidate status, as it did with Ukraine and Moldova. “The content of the letter is as follows – we agree with the demands of European Commission, the expediency of their fulfillment, but … Read more

Former president Saakashvili returns to Georgia and is arrested a day before local elections

TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili allegedly returned on Friday to his home country on Friday after eight and a half years’ absence. Law enforcement authorities arrested the former leader the same evening. The news about the ex-president’s arrest sparked celebrations among the opposition and frustration within the government, and threatened to overshadow preparations for … Read more

Georgian Dream starts crackdown on opposition after talks to stop boycott fail

TBILISI, DFWatch–After talks between Georgian Dream and the opposition failed to defuse the political crisis, the ruling party in Georgia has started to weigh in with threats of revoking registration for the largest opposition party and stripping others of state funding. On Thursday, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Georgian Dream executive secretary, said that a bill against … Read more

Opposition and government mobilize ahead of symbolic mayoral election in western Georgia

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tensions are running high in Georgia ahead of the May 19 by-election in Zugdidi, a town about 350km west of Tbilisi, with almost daily scuffles outside the office of the Local Election Commission. Both the governing party and the opposition accuse each other of attempting to rig the election to replace the former mayor, … Read more

Georgian ex-President Saakashvili quits as governor of Odessa

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Saakashvili spoke of the reasons for his resignation at a press conference in Odessa.

TBILISI, DFWatch–The exiled former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili announced on Monday that he is leaving as governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region, a position he has held since May 2015.

During a press conference broadcast on his Facebook page,

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Saakashvili barred from entering Ukraine

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Mikheil Saakashvili addressing the protesters in Kyiv December 7, 2013. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Ukrainian government has barred former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvil from entering the country after he visited the protesters in Kyiv.

Saakashvili’s name appears along with 29 Georgians on a list published by the Ukrainian foreign

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