Irakli Kobakhidze

The Helsinki Commission called on the US and its partners to investigate the use of chemical weapons against protesters in Georgia. Reports indicate the use of bromobenzyl cyanide, which caused burns and long-term health problems.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that there is no chance of transferring Mikheil Saakashvili to Ukraine or a third country. He called the Ukrainian side's calls unserious, despite Ukraine actively working on this option.

Germany is recalling Ambassador Peter Fischer from Georgia for consultations due to "systematic attacks" by the Georgian authorities. This comes amid escalating tensions between Berlin and Tbilisi, where the government is campaigning against the EU and Germany.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia fined the current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, 5,000 lari for illegally blocking a road. This happened during her visit to Tbilisi on October 14-15, when she joined an anti-government protest.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry expressed a protest to the OSCE Secretariat over the participation of the organization's head, Elina Valtonen, in an anti-government rally in Tbilisi. Georgia considers Valtonen's actions an attempt to mislead the international community and an abuse of her mandate.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze canceled a meeting with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Elina Valtonen due to her participation in an anti-government rally. Valtonen claims she canceled the meeting herself due to a schedule change.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the European bureaucracy is irritated by the choice of the Georgian people and their struggle for peace. He expressed doubt about the cancellation of the visa-free regime with the EU, despite the European Commission's warnings about non-compliance with eight conditions.

Mass protests in Georgia have been ongoing for almost a year, despite arrests and fines, even on the day of local elections. Repression against activists, journalists, and human rights defenders has drawn comparisons to Russia.

Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, did not congratulate the pro-European party Action and Solidarity on its victory in the Moldovan elections. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that his political force would congratulate its Moldovan counterparts only after Moldova withdraws from the CIS.

A protest was held in Tbilisi against the statement of Prime Minister Kobakhidze, who blamed the former government for the 2008 war. The protesters accused Russia of occupation.

The Parliament of Georgia is adopting amendments to the law on defamation, which strengthen the rules and shift the burden of proof to the defendant. Critics fear restrictions on freedom of speech, while the authorities declare a fight against unfounded insults.

The Portuguese government is urged not to allow the "Georgian Dream" party to participate in the OSCE PA session due to the oppression of democracy. Prime Minister Kobakhidze called the appeal a "Soviet approach".

The head of EU diplomacy stated that the Georgian law on aligning grants with the authorities undermines the status of a candidate for the EU. It obliges the coordination of foreign donations for non-governmental organizations.

Citizens of Ukraine will be able to stay in Georgia without a visa for only one year. For those who entered before February 24, 2025, the term has been extended until 2026.

Police detained three people near the Georgian Parliament. Students tried to set up chairs for the protesters, which provoked disputes and detentions.

The European Parliament adopts a resolution on Georgia, recognizing Salome Zurabishvili as the legitimate president. MEPs call for sanctions against the ruling party and new parliamentary elections.

EU foreign ministers decided to suspend the visa-free regime for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports. Slovakia and Hungary opposed the decision, but it was passed by a qualified majority.

Irakli Kobakhidze supported Slovak Prime Minister Fico's statement about the threat of a coup d'état. According to him, protests in both countries are coordinated from one center.

Irakli Kobakhidze denied Macron's statement about Russia's growing aggression in neighboring countries, noting that it concerns only Ukraine. The Georgian prime minister advised the French president to focus on helping Ukraine.

Polish President Andrzej Duda expressed support for Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and her European aspirations. He supported holding new parliamentary elections in Georgia in accordance with OSCE recommendations.

Salome Zurabishvili said “We are not afraid” in response to the threats of imprisonment from Prime Minister Kobakhidze. The President supported the protesters in Tbilisi and insisted that new parliamentary elections be called.

Irakli Kobakhidze demands Salome Zurabishvili to leave the presidential residence by December 29 under threat of criminal liability.

Georgian authorities will set up a working group with the Council of Europe to amend the law on “foreign agents. ” Prime Minister Kobakhidze promised to release most of the detained protesters and stop the use of force.

Lithuania and Estonia imposed sanctions on 17 Georgian politicians and officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The reason was the suppression of protests and human rights violations in Georgia.

Estonia imposed sanctions against 14 Georgian officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The Estonian Foreign Minister called on other EU countries to also respond to human rights violations in Georgia.

The current President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, called the election of the new President, Mikheil Kavelashvili, illegitimate.

Protesters gathered near the Georgian parliament ahead of the presidential election with a single candidate from the ruling party. The protests erupted after the announcement of the termination of negotiations with the EU, and the current president refuses to leave office.

Georgia is holding presidential elections, where the favorite is the candidate of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mikheil Kavelashvili. The incumbent president, Salome Zurabishvili, refuses to leave office, which exacerbates the political crisis in the country.

The pro-government Georgian Dream party plans to ban covering your face at rallies and actions. The decision was made after a series of attacks on journalists, during which more than 56 media representatives were injured.

The court in Georgia has arrested the opposition figure Nika Gvaramia after searches in the offices of opposition parties. Earlier, Ukraine imposed sanctions on 19 high-ranking Georgian officials who support the policy of Vladimir Putin.