Patriarchal Locum Tenens Shio Mujiri, temporary head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, met with Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili to discuss various issues.

An interim commission established by Georgia's disputed parliament to study the pricing structure of food, medicine, and fuel concluded its three-month work on May 1.

Farmers in Marneuli, Georgia, protested issues related to the sale of their produce, resulting in the brief detention of two individuals by local police.

Georgia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) saw a significant increase of 10.7% in March, contributing to an overall 9.1% growth for the first quarter. This economic performance comes amidst ongoing regional tensions.

Two individuals were briefly arrested on April 29 in Shulaveri village, Marneuli municipality, Georgia, during a farmers' protest where tensions flared between demonstrators and police.

Georgia faces a significant scarcity of childcare services for children under two, with reports indicating fewer than 35 daycare centers across the country accept this age group.

Georgia has enacted new laws to combat antisemitism in education and enhance transparency regarding foreign funding, setting a new standard for state-level action on these critical issues.

A local Armenian community group in Tbilisi, Georgia, was denied permission by the Georgian Interior Ministry to hold an Armenian Genocide remembrance event near the Turkish Embassy, citing stricter rally laws.

Lazare Grigoriadis, who was previously convicted in a 'Molotov cocktail' case related to the 2023 protests against the foreign agents law, has been arrested on new allegations of making a 'threat' two years after his presidential pardon.

The Tbilisi City Court has terminated journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli’s defamation lawsuit against Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, which stemmed from televised comments made by the Prime Minister.

Poet Zviad Ratiani, serving a two-year sentence for slapping a police officer, has been placed under a stricter prison regime. His lawyer described the decision as "unsubstantiated," while the Penitentiary Service cited "higher risk."

The Trump Tower project in Tbilisi, Georgia, is under scrutiny regarding its viability, especially given strained Georgia-US relations and the failure of a similar project in Batumi.

A photo feature explores the lives of Georgian shepherds in the isolated mountain village of Dano, Tusheti, as they navigate and embrace changes to their traditional way of life.

Georgian Dream Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili is on a working visit to China, where she met with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and signed a protocol amending the free trade agreement between the two countries.

A new report lists the top 10 deepest caves globally, featuring locations like Veryovkina Cave in Georgia and Sistema Huautla in Mexico, highlighting their impressive depths and geological significance.

An event was held in Georgia as part of the tenth annual Italian Design Day, an initiative promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture to showcase Italian architecture and design globally.

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) released final results of the 2024 census, showing the country's population at 3,929,581 as of November 14, 2024.

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced significant leadership changes, including State Security Service Chief Mamuka Mdinaradze moving to a new "State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Bodies" position.

The de facto foreign ministry of occupied Abkhazia stated that Sokhumi 'has taken note' of recent remarks by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova and 'shares Russia’s position on the consequences of Georgia’s aspiration for EU membership.'

Georgia's external merchandise trade, excluding non-declared trade, reached USD 5.867 billion in January-March 2026, marking a 0.2% year-on-year increase according to preliminary data.

The Trump Organization announced plans to construct a 70-storey Trump Tower in Tbilisi, Georgia, in partnership with local entities. If completed, the skyscraper would become the tallest in the South Caucasus region.

Several demonstrators and journalists in Georgia, including Civil.ge's chief editor, have reported their bank accounts being frozen by the Enforcement Bureau due to unnotified police fines related to alleged “road blockages” during Tbilisi rallies.

An international economic forum revealed Abkhazia's significant structural vulnerabilities and its strong reliance on Russia, which limits the realization of investment projects.

Roman Kartsivadze, formerly head of the Special Tasks Department at Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, has been appointed to lead the Special Operations Department at the State Security Service (SSSG).

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and Georgia’s TBC Bank are continuing their financial cooperation, expanding CDP's operations in international development finance.

Georgia's parliament approved Geka Geladze as the new head of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) and created a new state minister post, amidst ongoing political disputes.

Families in Georgia are facing significant challenges in accessing treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disease causing rapid muscle loss, due to limited state support for healthcare.

Tbilisi has summoned EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński following his critical remarks made in Brussels, indicating diplomatic tensions.

Yerevan has officially denied reports suggesting a plan to transfer a village to Georgia as part of ongoing border delimitation discussions. The Armenian capital refutes claims of such a territorial concession.

Lazare Grigoriadis, a Georgian protester previously sentenced and pardoned, has been detained again on new charges two years after his pardon.

A former employee of Georgia's State Security Service (SSSG), currently working in the Interior Ministry, was arrested on accusations of taking classified information from the SSSG.

Wildfires are actively burning across parts of Georgia and Florida, leading to the destruction of nearly 90 homes in Georgia and prompting mandatory evacuations for residents in affected areas.

New maps are available to track the spread of ongoing wildfires across Georgia and Florida, providing visual updates on the affected areas.

RFE/RL's Georgian Service has identified Tamaz Goloev (Goloti), a 27-year-old resident of Akhalgori, as the man arrested by Georgia's State Security Service on spying charges, with pro-government media alleging he spied for Russia.

Senior Georgian Dream officials have suggested summoning EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński over his remarks made in Brussels, where he warned against Georgia returning to 'dark times.'

The EU Ambassador to Georgia has issued a warning about the country potentially returning to a "dark past," prompting outrage from the ruling party.

A review of the film 'My Happy Family' highlights its portrayal of a middle-aged Georgian woman seeking independence by getting a room and life of her own.

Georgia has been permanently suspended from the Open Government Partnership (OGP), an international platform for transparency, accountability, and participation, due to concerns over its adherence to membership conditions.

The Abkhazian Parliament has decided not to strip opposition MP Kan Kvarchiya of his immunity, following a protracted standoff related to a public dispute involving Russian political strategists.

Georgia is set to create a new ministry for security chief Mdinaradze as part of a broader government reshuffle that also includes the appointment of a new Interior Minister.

Following a visit to Georgia, the Council of Europe Commissioner called for greater police accountability and the repeal of restrictive 'foreign influence' laws. This recommendation comes amidst concerns over human rights and democratic standards in the country.

Georgia has been identified by Freedom House as one of six new countries employing "tactics of transnational repression" in a recent report on incidents where states silenced dissidents in 2025.

Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party plans to withdraw its appeal from the Constitutional Court and resubmit a revised version to include the Federalists party among the opposition forces it seeks to ban.

The Trump Organization is reportedly partnering on a new skyscraper development project in Tbilisi, Georgia. This venture marks a new international real estate endeavor for the company.

This weekly digest covers key developments and discourses in and around the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, as well as those concerning Tbilisi–Moscow relations, including Russia prosecuting an Abkhaz opposition leader.

Officials from the Georgian Dream party anticipate a visit from U.S. State Department representatives in May, hoping to reset largely frozen ties between Washington and Tbilisi.

Georgia reported 1.2 million international visits in the first quarter of 2026, a 0.2% decrease year-on-year, though the number of unique international visitors increased by 2.5%. Russia accounted for the largest share of visitors.

The Georgian Orthodox Church has shortlisted three candidates for the position of the next Patriarch. The date for the final election has not yet been set.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry and ruling party officials are insisting that Germany update the country's profile on the Federal Foreign Office website to reflect incumbent government representatives.

The Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church has shortlisted three hierarchs – Metropolitan Shio, Metropolitan Iobi, and Metropolitan Grigol – as candidates to succeed Patriarch Ilia II.

South Ossetia has officially condemned Georgia for arresting one of its residents on charges of espionage.

Georgia has significantly increased its oil imports from Azerbaijan, boosting them fourfold in the early part of 2026.

De facto authorities in Tskhinvali/South Ossetia condemned the arrest of Tamaz Goloev, an Akhalgori resident, on spying charges in Tbilisi, calling it "unjustified" and "political."

Wildfires in Georgia have destroyed dozens of structures and continue to spread across the state. Firefighters are bracing for dynamic changes as they work to contain the blazes.

An organization of Armenians in Georgia was denied permission to hold a protest near the Turkish Embassy to commemorate the genocide, refusing an alternative location offered by authorities.

Georgia's former Defence Minister, Irakli Burchuladze, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison amidst what appears to be a purge of former senior officials.

Georgia's former defense minister, Juansher Burchuladze, was sentenced to ten years in prison after being found guilty of abuse of office and large-scale money laundering, with several properties also confiscated.

Zurab Pataradze, a diplomat who previously chaired the Adjara Autonomous government, has been nominated to return to the post, as announced by Georgian Dream-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili.

Georgia's State Security Service (SSSG) arrested a department head of Kodori Hydropower Plants LLC, a subsidiary of Enguri HPP operating in occupied Abkhazia, on suspicion of misappropriation.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, outgoing chief of Georgia's State Security Service, stated that wiretapping has increased, leading to a significant rise in information flow to the agency.

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) has arrested a Georgian citizen on suspicion of espionage for a foreign intelligence service and announced it will seek Interpol red notices for two more Georgians facing similar charges.

Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has announced its intention to include the Federalists in its ongoing lawsuit seeking to ban political parties, having already targeted three others.

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) released its 2025 annual report, detailing alleged attempts to overthrow the government by violent means, as well as efforts at destabilization, foreign interference, and propaganda.

European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that the EU is open to involving Georgia in regional connectivity projects. However, this involvement is contingent on Tbilisi's willingness to engage in "other areas" of cooperation with the EU.

Nikoloz (Nariman) Makarashvili, a controversial religious leader and suspended Orthodox cleric known as 'King' to his followers, was found dead in his apartment in Tbilisi.

Romanian weightlifter Mihaela Cambei secured three medals at the recent Weightlifting Championships held in Georgia.

Tsotne Ivanishvili, son of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, spoke at a ruling party youth event, expressing concern over "violence" and "polarization" in Georgia and advocating for discussion and debate. His comments came in response to questions about abuses against protesters.