Georgia
Georgian ruling party moves to ban all opposition
The ruling Georgian Dream party seeks to ban opposition parties based on the impending conclusions of a temporary parliamentary commission the party set up to investigate alleged “crimes” of the previous government.
Critical response to Zourabichvili’s 'platform of resistance' signals rifts within Georgia's pro-Western opposition
Georgia's fifth president announced the creation of a “platform of resistance” during a mass demonstration in Tbilisi, but some pro-Western opposition politicians declined to participate.
Democracy nosedives as authoritarian grip tightens on Georgia
Brutal police crackdowns on pro-EU street protesters have given way to a targeted campaign of repression seemingly intent on throttling every dimension of the Georgian civil resistance movement.
US Senate committee passes MEGOBARI Act to sanction Georgian government officials
The bill reaffirms support for pro-EU protesters in Georgia and mandates sanctions on members of the governing Georgian Dream party.
Several EU countries back push to fund Prague-based RFE/RL in response to Trump axeing it
Member states want EU to fund Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at dismantling the Agency for Global Media.
Georgian authorities freeze funds of NGOs supporting pro-EU protesters
Ruling Georgian Dream party has introduced increasingly repressive legislation in recent months in an attempt to intimidate protesters and crush the resistance.
COMMENT: Rail and logistics firms bet on Middle Corridor as key Eurasian route
As the Trans-Caspian International Transport route grows in importance, rail operators and other companies have committed to boosting traffic along the route.
Former Georgian president Saakashvili gets a further 4.5 years in prison for illegal border crossing
Mikheil Saakashvili, president of Georgia from 2004-13, has been found guilty of illegally crossing the Georgian border in September 2021 and sentenced to four years and six months in jail by the Tbilisi City Court.
Southeast Europe erupts in weekend of protests
Protests in Serbia, Georgia and Hungary reflect mounting discontent over corruption and democratic backsliding, while Romanians turn out to show commitment to EU values in face of rising far right.
INTERVIEW: Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s fifth president
Zourabichvili lays out the complex reality of Georgia’s ongoing political crisis, and explains how the country has become a testing ground for both Russian hybrid interference and Western diplomatic intervention.
Georgian ex-president Saakashvili given nine years in prison for embezzlement
An extra three years are expected to be tacked onto Mikheil Saakashvili’s original six-year sentence, meaning he will now not be eligible for release until late 2030.
BALKAN BLOG: Being a Trump fan isn’t enough to get US support
Some right-wing Emerging European leaders have gained vocal backing from the US, but efforts by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and the Georgian Dream party to demonstrate their pro-Trump credentials have been largely ignored.
Georgian prime minister doubles down on commitment to develop Middle Corridor during visit to Central Asia
Irakli Kobakhidze's visits to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan were aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, with a particular focus on connectivity.
Council of Europe reports dramatic decline in press freedoms in Georgia
Georgia’s decline was characterised by “escalating violence against journalists, restrictive legislation and political interference” says 2024 press freedom report.
Central Asia and Caucasus are some of the most hazardous places to drive in the world
Traffic-related deaths and injuries taking an economic toll.
Kremlin-backed candidate wins Abkhazia presidency in runoff vote
Badra Gunba claimed victory over his opponent Adgur Ardzinba in the second round of the presidential election in the Russia-backed Georgian separatist region of Abkhazia.
Emerging Europe’s Ukraine critics unleashed by Trump’s attack on Zelenskiy
Leaders of Bulgaria, Georgia and Hungary back Trump in row with Ukrainian president and slam Europe's handling of the war.
Humanitarian crisis in western Georgia as heavy snowfall continues
Heavy snow has been falling across Georgia for seven days, with the western mountainous regions of Guria and Adjara on the Black Sea Coast particularly affected.
EBRD lowers 2025 forecasts citing subdued global growth and trade fragmentation
Weaker external demand and potential impact of Trump tariffs weigh on Emerging Europe, Central Asia and Semed regions, with growth now projected at 3.2%.
Fitch warns over political and geopolitical risks to South Caucasus sovereign ratings
Political and geopolitical developments that heighten external vulnerabilities and policy weaknesses in the South Caucasus are exerting a significant influence on the sovereign credit profiles of the region’s countries, rating agency says.