According to the Minister, completely new textbooks will be published in humanitarian and STEM subjects at all levels by September 15, 2028. According to the Ministry's decision, one and the same textbook will be used in the same level and subject, both in public and private schools. As a result of the ongoing work, first-graders, 7th and 10th graders will already have new books by the start of the new academic year.According to the new concept, visuals carrying national values ​​will be placed on the covers of textbooks. In particular, the cover of the chemistry textbook will depict the traditional winemaking process, and its chemical description on the back cover. The physics textbook will include Elguja Medzmariashvili's invention - the launch of the first Georgian satellite into space. In addition, the books include more than 500 new illustrations that concern Georgian architectural monuments.In addition, the Ministry is starting to introduce the culture of wearing uniforms in schools, which will be extended to grades one through six this year, and then one grade will be added each year. The provision of uniforms will be carried out in three stages: on September 15, all first-graders will come to school in new uniforms decorated with the state emblem, and during the first semester, all students from grades one through six will be provided with uniforms.As a result of market research and a tender, an agreement was signed with the number one manufacturer of school uniforms in China after the first identified company failed to submit complete documentation. According to the Minister, the price of uniforms will be several times cheaper than uniforms of private schools, and all families that are rated by the Ministry of Health with 65,000 or less rating points and have a primary school student will receive uniforms completely free of charge.The first samples presented by the company have passed international quality testing and will also be tested in Georgia. According to the Minister, the polyester in the fabric is mixed with natural materials, which increases durability, and all jackets, trousers and skirts have anti-allergic lining. The models fully comply with international standards, and sales points will be opened in regions and cities in advance.

1782909827

The authors of the joint lawsuit sent to Strasbourg are: “Social Justice Center”, “Civil Society Foundation”, “Fair Elections”, “Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information” (IDFI) and “Safari”. The organizations applied to the European Court for legal response on October 15, 2025.According to “Fair Elections”, the European Court granted the aforementioned lawsuit the status of a case with significant impact (Impact Case). This decision means that the Strasbourg Court is assessing the scope of the case in advance and believes that it can have a significant impact on the practice of the Court itself, national legislation and broader human rights and public issues.“The commencement of the substantive examination of the case in this mode is an important message to the Georgian authorities that any action aimed at restricting civil society activities, criminalizing human rights activities and persecuting independent organizations will be subject to international legal assessment and cannot remain without an appropriate response,” the organization said in a statement released on Monday.

1782733456

As a result of more than 1,000 investigative actions conducted in the case, 17 members of the organized group have been detained at this stage, and 3 individuals who are in hiding will be declared wanted. In addition, charges have been brought against 11 individuals who are cooperating with the investigation, and criminal prosecution has been initiated against 24 legal entities.According to the agency, former high-ranking officials of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency are among the accused. They have been abusing their personal interests and official position to facilitate the functioning of the criminal scheme for years.The investigation revealed that a large-scale network of so-called “pharmacy drug trafficking” operated in the country in 2018–2025, and the process was organized by the heads of companies importing psychotropic drugs. To cover up the crime, the drugs were documented in the names of fictitious pharmaceutical companies, but in reality, without any prescriptions or permits, they were sold at high prices throughout the country in facilities that did not even have the status of pharmacies.It has been established that the income from illegal trade amounted to 53,833,723 GEL. In order to legalize the funds, a significant part of the criminal income was recorded in the form of salaries and dividends, after which the defendants acquired a large amount of real estate and movable property. The mentioned assets have been fully seized, from which the damage caused to the state will be compensated in the future.According to the statement of the Deputy Head of the Investigation Service, Guga Tavberidze, the investigation is underway under Articles 192 and 194 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for imprisonment for a term of 9 to 11 years. The agency warns all individuals and legal entities operating in the field that the state will be particularly strict towards such crimes, which damage the budget and endanger the lives of citizens.The mentioned large-scale event was carried out by the Investigation Service under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, as well as with the support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service and the Revenue Service.

1782299742

The need for legislative amendments arose after the decision taken in December 2025 transferred the functions of the Personal Data Protection Service and the Anti-Corruption Bureau to the State Audit Office from March 2026.According to the rapporteur of the draft law, First Deputy Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee, Irakli Kheladze, the main novelty is the subordination of the regulatory commissions - the Communications Commission and the State Commission for Electronic Communications, which were not subject to inspection until now - to the Audit Service. Their audit will be carried out on a similar principle to the National Bank, which means that the agency will only inspect administrative and capital expenditures and will not interfere in the substantive decisions of the regulators.Within the framework of the reform, auditors are also granted exceptional powers, which will allow them to request information related to state procurement directly from private individuals participating in tenders. In addition, in order to speed up operational work, the Audit Service will receive direct access to the electronic databases of other administrative bodies based on memoranda.At the same time, sanctions are being tightened, and the amount of the fine for failure to provide documentation or submitting false information to the agency is increasing from the current 1,000 GEL to 5,000 GEL. The draft law also specifies that financial compliance and efficiency audits include control of both ongoing and already implemented activities.From a structural point of view, the law adds a new position - the Secretary of Public Relations. He ensures coordination and communication with other agencies under the instructions of the Auditor General, although the addition of this position does not require additional financial expenses from the budget.

1782212685

Speaking to journalists, the Prime Minister reviewed the current situation in the opposition and noted that the weakening of opposition parties and the destruction of political power will have a positive impact on the country’s democratic environment and political system.According to Kobakhidze, the disagreements between opposition entities exclude the possibility of gaining public support.The Head of Government emphasized that this trend and voter sentiment were clearly reflected in the 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025 election cycles, where the opposition failed to achieve the desired results.The Prime Minister assessed the opposition spectrum as an anti-state group and a foreign agent, adding that their structural dismantling is a prerequisite for the country's long-term stability.

1782211761

Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Vučić noted that Georgia’s 9.3% first-quarter economic growth stands out compared to European countries. He said such performance would be “extraordinary even in Western Europe” and highlighted Georgia’s progress since 2012.The Serbian president also pointed to sectoral developments, including strong growth in tourism and a reported 12% increase in construction activity. He said Serbia is analyzing Georgia’s economic data to identify areas for potential policy lessons.Vučić emphasized the “brotherly” ties between the two countries, rooted in shared Orthodox traditions, and met with the acting head of the Georgian Orthodox Church during his visit, marking his first official trip to Georgia.

1781606204

Kobakhidze also paid special attention to the trade and economic potential and welcomed the active work on the free trade agreement between the two countries.“We have made great progress in this process, only a few issues remain to be agreed upon, after which both sides will be ready to sign the free trade agreement. This agreement will create new opportunities for business, contribute to the growth of trade turnover and attraction of investments,” the Prime Minister noted.The Head of Government also stressed the need to develop transport and logistics ties. According to him, Georgia, as an integral part of the “middle corridor”, is ready to deepen its partnership with Serbia in order to fully utilize the transit potential between Europe and Asia.In addition to the economic agenda, the parties discussed regional security and the principles of sovereignty. Irakli Kobakhidze thanked Aleksandar Vučić for his firm support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and reaffirmed that Georgia also unwaveringly supports the sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia.The Prime Minister called Serbia’s decision to open an embassy in Tbilisi an extremely important step, adding that this diplomatic mission will further strengthen the political dialogue between the two countries.

1781606111

The Prime Minister said he hopes this step will lead to the conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement.“We commend the mediation efforts that contributed to creating the conditions necessary for this understanding to be achieved. We remain hopeful that this important step will lead to the conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement and the durable resolution of the conflict,” Kobakhidze wrote.

1781523152

The main part of the high-level meeting was devoted to deepening cooperation in the trade-economic, investment and transport-logistics spheres.Main focus on synchronization of transit routesOne of the central topics of the talks was the integration of regional transport projects. The parties discussed the prospects for the further development of the “Middle Corridor” and mechanisms for attracting additional cargo flows on this route.According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, the Georgian side is following with great interest the implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which is progressing at a rapid pace. According to Irakli Kobakhidze, the railway line will significantly contribute to strengthening connectivity between Central Asia and the Black Sea region. He also noted that Georgia is making large investments in domestic infrastructure to expand its transit function.Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov confirmed that connecting the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway corridor with Georgia’s port infrastructure is one of the priority areas on the bilateral agenda. Zhaparov called on Georgian business circles to more actively discuss investment projects in the logistics, agriculture, construction, digital economy and tourism sectors of Kyrgyzstan, where the country creates favorable conditions for investors against the backdrop of sustainable economic growth.Intergovernmental Commission and the Prospects for Direct FlightsAs part of the visit, the second session of the Georgia-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation was held in Bishkek. According to the parties, the resumption of the work of the commission is a timely step that will contribute to increasing trade turnover and establishing direct business contacts.The talks focused on the importance of increasing bilateral flows in the tourism sector. It was noted that the launch of direct air traffic between Georgia and Kyrgyzstan would provide an additional stimulus to both economic cooperation and deepening people-to-people ties.Political dialogue and bilateral documentsAt the end of the meeting, Irakli Kobakhidze and Sadir Zhaparov signed a joint statement. Bilateral intergovernmental documents were also signed, which define the legal basis for future cooperation.The Prime Minister of Georgia thanked the President of the Kyrgyz Republic for his unconditional support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. In turn, Sadir Zhaparov expressed gratitude for the Georgian side's support for Kyrgyzstan's international initiatives related to the sustainable development of mountainous regions.Irakli Kobakhidze invited the President of Kyrgyzstan to pay a reciprocal official visit to Georgia.

1781263996

Kobakhidze emphasized that for Kyrgyzstan, as well as for all five Central Asian countries, trade and economic partnership with Georgia and strengthening connectivity are of strategic nature.“Georgia connects all five Central Asian countries to the Black Sea and the Western space. Therefore, it is important for Kyrgyzstan to cooperate with us in economic and trade terms, and it is also important for us to deepen this cooperation. Kyrgyzstan has been developing rapidly in economic terms in recent years and is trying to strengthen its function in terms of connectivity. This creates new opportunities for our bilateral cooperation,” the Prime Minister said.Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze also touched upon the visa dialogue held in Brussels and expressed regret that the issue of visa liberalization is being used as an instrument of political blackmail.According to him, Georgia is absolutely open to dialogue and has clear answers to all questions asked. The Prime Minister expressed hope that approaches in the European bureaucracy will change and a fair position will be formed towards the country.Irakli Kobakhidze also responded to criticism from US Congressman Joe Wilson, who criticizes Georgia for deepening relations with China. The Prime Minister called these statements illogical in the context of the fact that the US itself is trying to strengthen ties with China. According to the head of government, the aforementioned attacks are carried out under the influence of the “Global War Party” and on external orders, although they do not have a special value for Georgia.

1781263872