Some 1,200 delegates are expected to attend the ecclesiastical assembly. The session will include addresses by candidates for the Patriarchal throne, as well as speeches from delegates representing various eparchies. A scholar will also deliver a historical overview relating to the title of Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia.The Georgian Public Broadcaster’s First Channel will partially broadcast the expanded Church council. Specifically, the opening of the assembly, as well as the voting process, will be aired live; the proceedings will be suspended during the counting of votes, and the final result will be announced on air. The chairman of the vote-counting commission, Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze), will announce the outcome of the ballot.Only bishops are entitled to participate in the vote to elect the Catholicos-Patriarch. The candidate who receives more than half of the votes cast by the participating bishops, in this instance, 20 votes, shall be deemed elected as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.The candidates for Catholicos-Patriarch are: the locum tenens of the Patriarchal throne, Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsku (Mujiri); Metropolitan Iobi of Mroveli-Urbnisi (Akiashvili); and Metropolitan Grigoli of Poti and Khobi (Berbichashvili).Georgia’s 141st Catholicos-Patriarch, Ilia II, passed away on March 17 at the age of 93.

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In a speech on Europe Day, Papuashvili said that the EU has departed from its founding principles and has moved into a regime of “politically motivated resolutions and threats of economic retaliation.”According to Papuashvili, the current EU leadership fails to understand the essence of the Schuman Declaration and, instead of peace, is promoting radicalism and “regime change” plans against the democratically elected government in Georgia.He stressed that separating Europe Day from Victory Day (May 9) is unacceptable, as it ignores the great sacrifice made by the Georgian people in World War II.In the letter, the speaker also drew attention to the ideological conflict, saying that the EU is trying to impose on the country “ideologies incompatible with the traditional way of life and human nature.”He said that European integration should not mean Brussels’ “sole rule” over Georgia, but should be based on equality and respect for national independence.Papuashvili defended Tbilisi’s position on non-interference in the economic confrontation with Russia, noting that calls for sanctions without security guarantees would lead to Georgia’s economic collapse. In conclusion, the Speaker of the Parliament called on the European Union to stop aggressive rhetoric and reconsider its "harmful policies" in order to pave the way for genuine dialogue.

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According to the head of government, the decision is due to the fact that existing state and private universities cannot provide the necessary knowledge and skills for future diplomats at the appropriate level.Key details: Status and subordination: The Academy of Diplomacy will be an institution of departmental subordination. The prime minister cited the academies of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service, which operate on a similar model, as examples. Objective: The main task of the institution is to train highly qualified personnel for the diplomatic service and strengthen the country's foreign policy positions. Timeline: The academy will begin operating next year, after passing authorization procedures. “Departmental subordination will help the academy ensure high quality teaching and research,” Kobakhidze said, thanking Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili for preparing the project.This step is another attempt by the ruling team to strengthen state institutions, aiming to centralize the training of professional staff by tailoring it to the needs of specific state agencies.

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The head of government highlighted the doubling of export geography over the past decade and noted that Georgian products are currently represented in 70 countries around the world.Key economic indicators: Export volume: In 2025, Georgia exported up to 90 million liters of wine Revenues: The value of exported products reached 268 million US dollars. According to the Prime Minister, this growth dynamics will be maintained in 2026 Industry expansion: The number of wineries and companies registered in the country has increased almost 30 times, reaching 3,000 According to Kobakhidze, as a result of state policy, a special growth is being recorded in the part of small and family wineries, which has contributed to the creation of new jobs in the regions.“Our goal is for the world to know Georgian wine as a premium-class product that continues an 8,000-year tradition with constant development,” the Prime Minister said.According to his own assessment, diversification of markets and continuous improvement of quality remain part of the strategy that should ensure international recognition and economic strength of Georgian wine.

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According to a statement released by the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the decision was taken within the framework of the issue - “The Council of Europe and the conflict in Georgia”. In the document, the 46 member states of the organization reaffirm their firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.The Committee of Ministers emphasizes that the Russian Federation continues to violate international obligations, including the ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008, signed with the mediation of the European Union. According to the document, Moscow continues its illegal military presence in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.In the decision, the member states recall the historic Reykjavik Summit of May 2023 and call on Russia to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its armed forces from the territory of Georgia. The resolution is another legal confirmation of the Council of Europe's policy of non-recognition of Georgia's occupied regions and support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

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According to the PM, the conversation was oriented on the future, and the “spirit was significant.”“We didn’t go into depth, including regarding the problems. The problems haven’t gone anywhere, but we need to be future-oriented. I have never mentioned Zelenskyy in a negative context for a simple reason, and despite problems, Zelenskyy is the President of the country, which is in a state of war, and this country is a friend of Georgia. Therefore, I always measure my words. The problems remain but we should be future-oriented,” he said.Irakli Kobakhidze went on to say that since the meeting was closed-door, its details could not be disclosed.“I cannot disclose the details. The only thing I can say is that our conversation was essentially focused on the future. The spirit and mood of this conversation, expressed on both sides, was friendly. I cannot go into details about what problems we reviewed and what we did not discuss, since the meeting was closed and therefore the content cannot be made public. The problems remain. Did not Podolyak (Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine) or Danilov (former secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine) make statements after yesterday? Or the ambassador was not recalled after yesterday, or other steps were not taken after yesterday?! Of course, the problems which existed still stand. But we should be oriented on the future and this is our spirit,” he said.Irakli Kobakhidze noted: “We support the Ukrainian people, we are in solidarity with Ukraine and we are interested develop firendly relations both between the countries and governments.”Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the eighth summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in Yerevan, on May 4.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media about his meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the sidelines of the eighth summit of the European Political Community.According to Zelenskyy, continuing dialogue at all levels is important.“Met with the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze. There are indeed unresolved issues between our states. It is important to have dialogue at all levels. Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect Georgia, its sovereignty, and its people. We will continue our cooperation going forward.” Zelenskyy wrote.

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The report, based on the European Commission’s 2025 assessment, notes that the ruling party, Georgian Dream, has put the country’s foreign policy at risk.Targeted sanctions and the “end of impunity”MEPs underline that the personal sanctions imposed against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leaders of the ruling team, judges and prosecutors are a crucial tool in the fight against impunity.“The draft report underlines that the sanctions imposed by the EU and its member states against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the main leaders of the Georgian Dream... and other officials responsible for electoral fraud and human rights violations are an important tool,” the explanatory note reads.The document welcomes the fact that, despite the lack of unanimity at EU level, individual member states are imposing restrictions individually and calls on others to do the same.The threat of visa restrictionsThe European Parliament supports the European Commission’s proposal to suspend visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and official passports. However, the document regrets that, due to the opposition of Hungary and Slovakia, it has not been possible to implement a uniform visa ban across the EU at this stage.The report contains a direct warning to Georgia For the population too:“Continued inaction by the Georgian authorities could lead to the suspension of visa-free travel for the entire population, for which the Georgian Dream will be fully responsible.”“Moscow Mechanism” and international supervisionThe MEPs also welcome the launch of the “Moscow Mechanism” by the OSCE at the initiative of 24 member states. This mechanism envisages sending an expert mission to Georgia to assess the extent to which Tbilisi is fulfilling its democratic commitments undertaken at the international level.The document expresses full solidarity with the Georgian people, who continue to fight for a European future “against the backdrop of growing repression and disinformation.”

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According to Bochorishvili, Georgia is back on the agenda of the United States administration, which is confirmed by the active consultations that have begun with the Trump administration. The minister noted that the communication carried out since February, including a phone call with the Prime Minister and visits by State Department representatives, is assessed as “positive and effective.”“The legacy that the Trump administration received was not easy. However, today there is a real desire to restore relations,” the minister said, adding that another high-level visit of the State Department to Georgia is planned in May. According to him, the full restoration of strategic cooperation will largely depend on the political will of the American side.Speaking about relations with the European Union, the Foreign Minister stressed that talking to Georgia in the “language of blackmail” will not yield results. He rejected accusations of the government’s “anti-European rhetoric” and blamed the Brussels bureaucracy for hindering the processes.“The dialogue and the European integration process have been suspended by the European Union. We have never refused this process,” Bochorishvili noted.He also drew attention to the recent statements of the EU Ambassador, Pavel Herchinsky, calling them “direct threats”, which cause legitimate concern in Georgian society.According to the minister, despite the attempts of individual actors to impose sanctions or use other pressure mechanisms, it will be difficult to reach a consensus on this issue among EU member states, as many states realize the injustice of the current approaches.

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The above-mentioned personnel changes are part of the recent rotation in the government structure.On April 21, it became known that the change of the Minister of Internal Affairs: Gela (Geka) Geladze, who had headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs since May 2025, was transferred to the position of Head of the State Security Service (SSS).Geladze replaced Mamuka Mdinaradze as the head of the SSS. In turn, the new ministerial portfolio for Mdinaradze was approved by the Parliament on April 29.It is important to clarify regarding the functioning of the new State Minister's Office: Mamuka Mdinaradze's office will not have separate staff units. In accordance with the legislative amendment, the work and staff support of the Minister's Office will be fully provided by the government administration.According to the "Georgian Dream", this decision aims to strengthen coordination between law enforcement agencies and optimize the management process without additional increase in administrative costs.

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Kobakhidze made a statement on the current situation in Ukraine and Moldova, noting that putting these countries ahead of Georgia is unrealistic.“We all see the situation in Ukraine and Moldova. Unfortunately, the situation in Ukraine is extremely difficult. After 2022, the processes have developed severely - the economy has collapsed, the infrastructure is destroyed, the humanitarian situation is extremely difficult, corruption is rampant. As for Moldova, it is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe, which is reflected in their economic growth. Over the past 5 years, we have managed to increase the difference between the economies of Georgia and Moldova by approximately $ 14 billion,” the Prime Minister said.According to the head of government, in order to end the political crisis in Georgia, a legal ban on the “Collective National Movement” is necessary, for which the ruling team has already applied to the Constitutional Court.Kobakhidze compared the opposition unity to the German National Socialist Party.“I compare the German National Socialist Party in its essence to the collective “National Movement”, which is a fascist-Bolshevik union in content. Our desire is that parliamentary elections be held without these four radical unconstitutional parties. Our country cannot constantly revolve in this vicious circle, when on one side there is the ruling party and on the other side there is a radical, anti-state and anti-church opposition. This vicious circle must be broken,” Kobakhidze noted.The Prime Minister emphasized that the demand to ban the opposition is based on their past activities and constant “sabotage”. According to him, the lawsuit presents many arguments, including “human torture, business racketeering and media hijacking”. According to Kobakhidze, after the radical forces are removed, the arena will be given over to a “healthy political spectrum” by 2028.In the context of foreign policy, Irakli Kobakhidze also spoke about the expectation of a reset of relations with the US and specified the timing of communication.“There are very specific plans. You will see specific results by the end of May, communication will take place in specific directions. We have a specific agenda agreed with the American side and a number of communications will take place by the end of May. I did not say April, I am telling you May,” he added.

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