Latest Articles about Georgia
Russians Keep Nearly $1 Billion in Georgian Banks
Since the end of December 2022, all clients of Georgian banks, both Georgians themselves and foreigners, have received messages with a formidable warning that, if their deposits and accounts are used to violate Western financial sanctions against Russia, these accounts will be blocked without any... MORE
As Kremlin Boosts Soft Power, Will Georgia ‘Fly’ to Moscow or Brussels?
According to the decree on May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that, from May 15 on, the visa regime for citizens of Georgia visiting Russia (which was introduced back in 2001 under the rule of President Eduard Shevardnadze) has been canceled (BBC News Russian,... MORE
Abkhazian Official Hints Russia Using Its Territory to Avoid Western Sanctions
In April, the administration of the puppet regime of Abkhazia practically confirmed that Russia had begun to use its territory to circumvent Western sanctions. In particular, the media leaked the comments of Alias Labakhua, the first deputy chairman of the so-called State Customs Committee of... MORE
US Slaps Sanctions on Georgian Judges
On April 5, United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued a statement announcing that the US State Department has publicly sanctioned Georgian judges Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia and Valerian Tsertsvadze under Section 7031(c) of the visa restriction authority. “These individuals abused their... MORE
Regional Tensions Loom Over Multilateral Initiatives in South Caucasus
On March 20, at a joint press conference following his meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of attempting to undermine Russia efforts to develop the “3+3” cooperation framework in the South Caucasus (YouTube, March... MORE
Georgia Dragged Into Russian-Ukrainian Orthodox Controversy
On March 25, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, in a letter to the spiritual head of global Christian Orthodoxy, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, called for defusing tensions in the Ukrainian Orthodox community. The letter stated: “The government of Ukraine has... MORE
Azerbaijan Strengthening Its Position in Europe’s Green Energy Market
On February 13, the groundbreaking ceremony was held in Baku for the largest thermal power station (TSP) yet to be built in Azerbaijan with a planned capacity of 1,280 megawatts (MW) (Apa.az, February 13). The project’s total value is estimated at around $400 million, which... MORE
Russia’s Military Failures in Ukraine a Direct Threat to Abkhazia and ‘South Ossetia’
In February 2023, on the one-year anniversary of its re-invasion of Ukraine, Moscow stepped up relations with the two occupied regions of Georgia—Abkhazia and the so-called “South Ossetia” (Tskhinvali region). For example, mutual working visits have become more frequent. The leaders of the puppet regimes... MORE
Georgian Government Withdraws ‘Foreign Agents’ Bill After Large-Scale Protests
On March 10, the Georgian Parliament rejected the draft law, “On the Transparency of Foreign Influence,” after its second reading. The controversial bill was initiated in December 2022 by the pro-government “People's Power” movement and was enthusiastically supported by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ruling Georgian Dream... MORE
Eschewing the West’s ‘Double Standards,’ Georgia Favors Restoring Direct Flights With Russia
On February 3, the United States Department of State warned the Georgian government that the resumption of direct flights between Georgia and Russia would lead to the implementation of economic sanctions against the country and those Georgian companies involved in the flights. As the official... MORE