Georgian citizens are being urged to participate in a nationwide strike on Jan. 15 to demand the release of detained protestors and to call for new elections, Protest 24 posted on Facebook.
The Migration Department of the Georgian Interior Ministry has initiated expulsion proceedings against 25 foreign nationals.
The Nordic Baltic Eight countries have urged Georgia to hold new elections following disputed parliamentary elections in October and the inauguration of the new president, according to their statement published on Dec. 29.
Georgian anti-Western politician Mikheil Kavelashvili, an ally of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was inaugurated as the country's sixth president on Dec. 29 in a move seen as illegitimate by the opposition.
"To safeguard the democratic principles currently at stake in Georgia, it is imperative that the authorities urgently address all concerns," OSCE representative Eoghan Murphy said.
Lithuania and Estonia have imposed sanctions against Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and several government officials, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budris announced on X on Dec. 15.
In a joint letter, Georgian opposition leaders urged the release of all detained politicians, activists, and peaceful demonstrators; the introduction of targeted sanctions against those responsible for "undermining democracy;" the suspension of visa-free travel and visa restrictions for Georgian Dream officials; and the declaration of the "self-proclaimed regime" of Bidzina Ivanishvili as illegitimate.
The fine for wearing a mask or using lasers or fireworks is 2,000 Georgian lari ($712).
The U.S. State Department announced visa bans for approximately 20 Georgian individuals for undermining democracy in the country, according to the department’s statement on Dec. 12.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced plans to introduce a law banning participants in rallies and counter-rallies from covering their faces, Georgia Today reported on Dec. 8.
"Ukraine supports and stands in solidarity with the Georgian people, who are currently fighting for a worthy future for themselves," Zelensky told Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili during the meeting. "It is important to always respect the will of the people and not let the Ivanishvili government surrender the country to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."
The sanctions target oligarch and de facto leader of Georgian Dream Bidzina Ivanishvili and 18 other individuals.
Georgian police detained Nika Gvaramia, the leader of the Coalition for Change opposition party, on Dec. 4 amid government crackdowns as pro-EU protests in the country continue.
On Oct. 26, Georgia held parliamentary elections under a proportional system with a 5% threshold. According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream party secured 53.93% of the vote, earning 89 parliamentary mandates but falling short of a constitutional majority. Opposition parties received 37.79% of the
For the fifth day in a row, Georgians are holding massive protests against their government in the country's capital, Tbilisi. The brewing dissatisfaction was ignited by the country's democratic backsliding under the leadership of the pro-Russian, increasingly illiberal government. The final straw appeared to be the parliament elections won by
Over 220 protesters have been detained over the past few days, the country's Interior Ministry said. This included several journalists and Zurab Japaridze, leader of the opposition Girchi – More Freedom party, who was detained on Dec. 2 before being released the same day.
An illegitimate parliament will not be able to elect a new head of state, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said.
"Georgian Dream’s various anti-democratic actions have violated the core tenets of our U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership ... As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism."
Protests have now spread from Tbilisi to Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Gurjaani, and other Georgian cities, sparked by the government's decision to postpone EU accession talks.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) condemned Georgian authorities’ aggressive response against protestors in Tbilisi, according to a statement released on Nov. 29.
Protesters claim that the refusal to negotiate accession to the EU by 2028 is "a betrayal of the country's interests."
Georgia finds itself at a crossroads. The Oct. 26 elections, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory, have brought to the surface deep concerns about the integrity of our democracy. Civil society organizations, independent media, and the international democratic community have all raised alarms about widespread irregularities during
"I am sure that the parties will not enter the parliament ... Today, whoever enters the parliament will enter Russia," Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said on Nov. 22.
Georgian police dispersed a protest in Tbilisi demanding new elections on the eve of Nov. 18, but organizers promised a quick resumption elsewhere.
A Tbilisi court has dismissed all 11 lawsuits filed by Georgian opposition parties and civil society organizations seeking to invalidate protocols issued by district election commissions, News Georgia reported on Nov. 14.
Georgia stands at a crossroads. The parliamentary elections on Oct. 26 were presented as a choice between a creeping authoritarianism and a drift into the Kremlin's orbit on one hand, and Georgia's EU aspirations on the other. A group of pro-European parties hoped to unseat the Georgian Dream, a party
"I am confident that President Trump’s leadership will promote peace globally and in our region as well as ensure restart in U.S.-Georgia relations," Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on X.
Thousands of opposition supporters gathered outside Georgia's parliament on Nov. 4 for the second consecutive Monday, protesting the Oct. 26 election, which they allege was rigged with Russian assistance to favor the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Two U.S. pollsters, commissioned by Georgian opposition forces, are questioning the official results of the Oct. 26 parliamentary election, which declared the ruling Georgian Dream party victorious.
In Georgia’s 2012 election, then-President Mikheil Saakashvili’s pro-Western party was defeated by Georgian Dream, a party led by the Russian-backed oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. Though widely hailed at the time as a democratic triumph, astute observers warned against celebrating. One such observer was Georgia’s former economy minister, the
During a press conference in Tbilisi, President Salome Zourabichvili presented footage purportedly showing ballot violations. "It is not the President's responsibility to provide evidence that already exists within society."
The European Commission singled out the recent legislative amendments to the election process, frequent compromises on vote secrecy, procedural inconsistencies, intimidation, and pressure on voters that negatively impacted public trust in the process.
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