According to Papuashvili, the opposition parties are confronting each other with the same methods that they used to use against their own country.“I said, they have already done it, they have eaten each other, and now they have started to do it again and eat each other. Let’s watch, let’s get a little pleasure from this. What they used to do to their own country, they are now doing exactly the same to each other. So let’s observe and enjoy it,” the Parliament Speaker noted.He compared the National Movement’s positioning in opposition unity to the Georgian feature film “Blue Mountains.”“Like “Blue Mountains,” they can’t tell if they’re here or there. We, as “Blue Mountains,” should watch this comedy that they’re making us watch,” Papuashvili said.According to the head of the legislative body, these processes also indicate the irrationality of the external forces that organize these groups. According to him, this reality reveals “what kind of people are sitting in Brussels and some capitals” who are betting on the aforementioned opposition unity.“Didn’t they stand by them in the 2024 elections? Didn’t they say, ‘Vote for them,’ or ‘Don’t they make resolutions on their orders and in agreement with them?’ The Georgian people should also see what we are dealing with. When Brussels and other forces that are behind them cannot be identified in such simple issues, can you imagine that they should hand over international politics and geopolitics to them? That is why there is chaos in the world today, war in Ukraine today,” Shalva Papuashvili said.The Chairman of the Parliament linked the local opposition’s governance model to the global political context and noted that the collapse of the security architecture in the international arena is precisely the result of such approaches.“What is happening in the opposition is a mini-example of what is happening in the world thanks to the same forces that we call the ‘global war party’ and the ‘deep state.’” "The name may be different, but the essence is the same - these are the people whose governance model we see in the form of the radical opposition. They turned the political space into a circus and they are doing exactly the same thing on the international political platform, and that is why the global security system has collapsed," said Shalva Papuashvili.

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This information became known from material published on X by Laura Kelly, a journalist for the American publication The Hill.GOP donor Steve Nicandros is back in Washington advocating improved U.S.-Georgian Dream relations, reaching out to Joe Wilson, who is leader of holding GD accountable for election fraud, support for Iran and repression of Georgian peopleA journalist who has previously written about Nicandros’ lobbying activities for the Georgian Dream party has released an official letter dated June 8, 2026, in which the businessman personally addresses the congressman.It is worth noting that Congressman Joe Wilson is a harsh critic of the current Georgian government and is a co-author of the “MEGOBARI Act” prepared in Washington.Steve Nicandros emphasizes in the letter that since 1997, his company has invested more than $500 million in the country's oil and gas sector. The businessman does not directly mention Frontera in the letter and introduces himself as the head of TXN Energy. He notes that he respectfully disagrees with the congressman's recent tough stance on Georgia's current political course, but wants to share with him the "unique perspective" of the private sector.According to Nicandros, Washington's attempts to impose sanctions and harsh public messages are significantly harming American businesses operating in Georgia. With the same position, he also addressed other Republican members of the House of Representatives in January of this year and called on them to oppose the "MEGOBARI Act".Congressman Wilson has not yet issued a public response to the appeal.The multi-year, multi-million dollar arbitration dispute between Frontera and the Georgian government ended in 2020.Tbilisi initially planned to terminate the contract, but ultimately changed its mind and continued negotiations.The American company currently owes the Georgian budget GEL 15.4 million, which the state corporation considers “irrecoverable.”

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This bill requires the Department of State to submit a classified report to Congress that examines Russian and Chinese influence and intelligence activity in Georgia.The State Department must also submit a strategy for enhancing bilateral ties with Georgia, a determination of the resources needed to enhance such ties, and whether the United States should continue to invest in its partnership with Georgia and in Georgian projects.Specifically, Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, shall submit a classified report, as appropriate, to the relevant congressional committees to examine the penetration of Russian and Chinese intelligence elements and their assets in Georgia; and examine the potential intersection of Russian and Chinese influence and cooperation in Georgia.The bill also calls for a 5-year strategy for US-Georgia relations.Specifically, the bill requires the US to prepare a strategy that outlines specific objectives for enhancing bilateral ties which reflect the current domestic political environment in Georgia; includes a determination of the tools, resources, and funding that should be available to achieve the objectives outlined pursuant to subparagraph (A) and an assessment of whether Georgia should remain a top recipient of United States funding in the Europe and Eurasia region; includes a determination of the extent to which the United States should continue to invest in its partnership with Georgia; and includes a determination of whether the Government of Georgia remains committed to expanding trade ties with the United States and Europe and whether the United States Government should continue to invest in Georgian projects."The illegitimate Georgian Dream regime is in the process of selling out the country to the Chinese Communist Party, war criminal Putin, and Iran  - against the wishes of the Georgian people and the interests of the U.S.," Joe Wilson told Congress as the House passed the bill targeting Chinese and Russian influence in Georgia.The bill will now move to the Senate.

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According to the ministry, the changes mainly concern the regulations for the admission of foreign students and their residence permits, as well as the rules for legal stay in the country based on marriage between Georgian citizens and foreigners.According to the legislative package, the enrollment of foreign students in higher and vocational educational institutions will be subject to the submission of an international language certificate or passing an exam organized by the National Assessment and Examination Center (NAEC). With this regulation, the state aims to exclude the enrollment of those individuals who do not actually possess the appropriate language competence.In addition, a government resolution will establish a maximum quota for the admission of foreign students for educational institutions. Universities will be obliged to reflect any information related to the status of students in a unified information system, to which state agencies will have access. For violation of the rules, educational institutions will be held administratively liable, which, in addition to a fine, also provides for restrictions on the admission of foreigners or cancellation of authorization.A study residence permit will be issued to adults only if they are studying at authorized institutions, and in case of failure to meet academic requirements, violation of labor conditions, or absence from the territory of the country, the residence permit will be revoked.The legislative package tightens the rules for obtaining the right of residence on the basis of marriage. A new legal status is established - “Residence permit for the spouse of a citizen of Georgia”, which is issued before the right of permanent residence. Before issuing the permit, a special commission will verify the validity of the marriage.The draft law makes fictitious marriages for the purpose of obtaining residence or citizenship punishable under criminal law. The sanction is the expulsion of a foreigner from Georgia and a ban on entering the country for a period of 2 to 10 years, or a fine, or house arrest for a period of 1 to 2 years, or imprisonment for a period of up to 2 years.In order to combat illegal migration, the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is granted the authority to carry out operational-investigative measures. In addition, foreign convicts may have their unserved sentence commuted to deportation from Georgia.Changes are also being made to judicial proceedings: the deadlines for appealing immigration decisions and reviewing cases are being significantly reduced, and in some cases the court will be able to consider cases within tight deadlines without an oral hearing.

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As Reuters reports, citing a European official, the package prepared by Kallas for the meeting planned in Cyprus also includes a demand that Russia stop cyber attacks, the use of drones and disinformation campaigns against Europe.The EU’s strategic discussions have intensified after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Europe to become more involved in the peace process. Kiev fears that the United States, currently focused on the conflict with Iran, could distance itself from the talks with Russia, which is why the Ukrainian side wants to keep Europe involved.Despite the plan, according to Reuters sources, there is still no consensus among EU members on the format of future relations with Moscow.“Support for Ukraine remains strong, ⁠but there is no unity on how to approach future relations with Russia, that is more difficult,” said a senior European diplomat. “Some believe there should be no engagement at all, no bargaining - it’s complicated,” they added.According to diplomatic sources, at the same time, Moscow is not ready to start real negotiations at this stage. In February, the diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron visited Moscow for this purpose, but did not find any signs of changes in the Kremlin's positions. Against this background, part of the European Union believes that now is the time to increase pressure on Russia and that any diplomatic test should be considered only in parallel with military assistance to Ukraine.

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The controversy was sparked by Shalva Papuashvili’s statement that German Ambassador Peter Fischer “would not personally have the desire to attend the Independence Day event” because he “takes the oath of the squadrons of contempt.”“As for the statement of the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, we recommend checking the facts. The facts are that Germany has been a large and leading supporter of the Georgian Defense Forces for decades. This can be easily verified with the Ministry of Defense. Everything else is disinformation,” the embassy said in a statement.The embassy did not specify whether the ambassador attended the May 26 event, although according to available information, Peter Fischer was not at the ceremonial ceremony. At the same time, the speaker of the parliament stated that an official invitation had been sent to all diplomats.The German mission emphasizes that the country’s goal is to continue friendly cooperation with Georgia and that the diplomatic mission avoids getting involved in any domestic political discussions.

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According to the Government’s Parliamentary Secretary, Vakhtang Bachiashvili, the new legislation will distinguish between improper fulfillment of obligations and dishonest actions committed in order to obtain a contract.Under the current law, being on the blacklist restricts access to state contracts for a period of one year. According to the new draft, in case of detection of dishonest actions, the period of prohibition from participating in procurements will be increased to two years. In addition, this restriction will apply not only to the company itself, but also to its founder and partner.The second part of the legislative amendments concerns the promotion of the development of small and medium-sized businesses, which involves the institutional introduction of the concept of a subcontractor and the creation of a legal framework for its use.After the adoption of the draft law, the rules for relations with subcontractors will be established, including the mechanisms for their selection, distribution of responsibility and control. According to the government, the reform is expected to increase the economic capabilities of both small and medium-sized businesses and the efficiency of the public procurement system as a whole.

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According to the Armenpress agency, Pashinyan made this statement at a briefing in response to a question asked by a journalist regarding comments made by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. According to Kobakhidze, foreign patrons and local groups are trying to set Georgia against Armenia.“As for Georgia, I have clearly stated that Georgia plays a very important and key role in Armenian-European relations and we are very concerned about the current situation. We believe that this situation must be resolved,” the Armenian Prime Minister said.Pashinyan stressed that the partnership between Tbilisi and Yerevan is independent of any external factors and cannot be determined by third parties.“The relations between Armenia and Georgia have nothing to do with relations with third parties. Naturally, these relations are strategic, long-term, historical and fraternal in nature and will remain so. Any other scenario is simply impossible,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

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According to the report, as of 31 December 2025, there were a total of 8,592 prisoners in Georgia (including those in pre-trial detention). This means that the country has 231.9 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants, which is significantly higher than the European average of 110 prisoners and is classified as “very high”.Declining trend, amnesty and pardonDespite the high overall figure, the report highlights the dynamics of the reduction in the number of prisoners: The total number of prisoners decreased by 15.5% in 2015-2025 The decrease in 2024-2025 amounted to 11% The Council of Europe attributes this decrease, among other things, to humanitarian acts - according to the document, in 2024 Georgia declared 953 amnesties and 688 individual pardons. Demographic profile of prisonersThe study describes in detail the structure of those in Georgian prisons: Age: The average age of prisoners is 39 years. In addition, the share of convicts aged 50 or older is assessed as “high”. Juveniles: As of January 31, 2025, there were 74 juveniles in the system (0.9% of the total). Women: Only 4.4% (377 prisoners) of the total prison population, which is considered a “low” figure. Foreigners: 11.9% (1,020 prisoners) of convicted persons are foreign citizens. This figure is “very low” compared to the European median (17%). The report also addresses prison capacity. The Georgian penitentiary system has a total of 12,332 places. The current density is 69.7 prisoners per 100 places, meaning that the system is not overcrowded.There are a total of 2,918 cells in the country, with an average of 2.9 prisoners per cell. In addition, the Council of Europe notes that spending the night in individual (separate) cells is not a standard in Georgia.

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The open letter, addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, was published after the political dialogue between Tbilisi and Brussels was unilaterally suspended. According to the head of government, the formats for discussion and cooperation proposed by Georgia were repeatedly rejected by the European bureaucracy, which forced the country’s leadership to resort to a public appeal.In the letter, the Prime Minister asks EU leaders how they assess the events in Copenhagen, where, according to him, peaceful demonstrators were beaten with batons and dogs were used against them. According to the head of government, these actions contradict the standards of democracy and human rights that Europe was considered a benchmark for protecting.“The current situation poses a danger that Europe may become a benchmark not for protecting these values, but for ignoring and grossly violating them,” the letter states.According to the Prime Minister, the EU is currently in a “deep crisis of values,” which is manifested in democratic decline, economic stagnation, a migration crisis, as well as the weakening of national and gender identities. According to him, Georgia, as a candidate country for EU membership, expects a clear answer from Brussels about the union’s plan for managing internal crisis processes and the final results.Chronology of Georgia-EU relations and the current crisis:July 2021 – Annulment of the “Charles Michel Agreement”: The ruling party “Georgian Dream” declared the document signed with the mediation of the President of the European Council, which aimed at political reforms, null and void.June 2022 – Postponement of candidate status: The European Council did not grant Georgia the status of candidate for EU membership (unlike Ukraine and Moldova). The country was given a 12-point recommendation for receiving the status.March 2023 – The so-called The first protest of the “Russian law”: The ruling team first introduced the draft law on “agents of foreign influence.” This was followed by large-scale protests in Tbilisi of thousands and a stern warning from Brussels, which led to the government withdrawing the draft law.December 2023 – Granting candidate status: Given the geopolitical context, the European Council granted Georgia the status of candidate for EU membership on the condition that the country fulfills 9 new recommendations.April - May 2024 – Protests of thousands in Tbilisi: The re-initiation of the “transparency law” was followed by one of the most popular and continuous protests in the country’s history. The demonstrations lasted for more than a month, while Western partners warned Tbilisi that if the law was adopted, it would “block the European path.”May 2024 – Final adoption of the law: Despite protests and vetoes, the parliament finally approved the law “On Organizations Representing the Interests of a Foreign Power”. Brussels stated that this step contradicts the fundamental values ​​of the European Union.June-July 2024 – Suspension of membership and sanctions: The European Council officially announced the suspension of Georgia’s integration process. 30 million euros of the Defense Fund (EPF) and direct budgetary support (121 million euros) were frozen. In October, Ambassador Pavel Herchinsky confirmed the termination of the high-level political dialogue.October 26, 2024 – Parliamentary elections: Parliamentary elections were held, which the European Union described as a “referendum on the European course”. The CEC declared the Georgian Dream party the winner, prompting accusations of fraud from the opposition and civil society and a new wave of protests. The EU and Western partners have called for an independent investigation into election irregularities and have refrained from legitimizing the results.Foreign policy review and diplomatic deadlock: The post-election political crisis has reduced the chances of resuming dialogue between Tbilisi and Brussels. The Georgian government accuses the European bureaucracy of unilaterally blocking bilateral formats, which has led the Georgian side to resort to open letters to European leaders and public criticism.

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