Former Georgian president sentenced to 9 years in prison
Saakashvili was detained in October 2021 after secretly returning to Georgia during an election in the country. The authorities in Tbilisi accused him of abuse of power, embezzlement, and other offenses during his time in office between 2004 and 2013. During the incarceration, the former president lost a lot of weight and repeatedly complained about his poor health condition.
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Russia Today
09-08-2025
- Russia Today
Georgian PM blames 2008 war with Russia on ‘previous regime'
Former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and his government are responsible for the 2008 war with Russia, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has said. The conflict, waged on behalf of the 'deep state,' inflicted immense damage on the country and its interests, according to the PM. Kobakhidze delivered the remarks on Friday, as Georgia marked the 17th anniversary of the beginning of the hostilities known as the Five-Day War. The prime minister squarely blamed Saakashvili for the conflict, stating that an attack on the breakaway republic of South Ossetia was orchestrated on his direct orders. 'Today we need to remember all the documents signed by the then government, which state that the Saakashvili regime started the war,' Kobakhidze stated. 'There is no escape from these documents, they are irrefutable proof that the then government unleashed the war and dealt a severe blow to the national interests of our country,' he added. Khobakhidze went on to suggest the conflict was instigated by foreign forces. It was a catastrophic gamble by Saakashvili, a treason ordered from outside by the 'deep state.' The hostilities began early on August 8, 2008, when the Georgian military subjected the capital city of the breakaway republic of South Ossetia, Tskhinval, to artillery bombardment and moved in to attack local militias and Russian peacekeepers stationed there. South Ossetia and republic of Abkhazia split from Georgia following a civil war in the early 1990s shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The attack prompted a swift armed response from Russia, with the active phase of hostilities lasting for only five days. The Russian military expelled Tbilisi's forces from South Ossetia, which retreated in disarray while Moscow's troops advanced into Georgian territory through South Ossetia and Abkhazia before a ceasefire was agreed. Shortly afterward, Russia recognized the independence of the two republics, maintaining close ties with them ever since. Kobakhidze ruled out signing any agreements with the two republics on the non-use of force, emphasizing Tbilisi aims to achieve its goals through diplomacy. 'The only way to restore territorial integrity is a peaceful path, and there can be no talk of any such documents,' the PM said.
Russia Today
05-06-2025
- Russia Today
NATO aspirant reining in pro-bloc propaganda
The Georgian government is set to fold a media center promoting Western integration into the Foreign Ministry, according to its director. The Information Center on NATO and EU, based in Tbilisi, was launched in 2005 under then-President Mikhail Saakashvili to build public support for Georgia's membership in both blocs. An employee at the Center said in a social media post on Wednesday that he had received formal notification indicating the outlet would be closed by July 1. Director Tamara Tsuleiskiri later clarified that the NGO's functions would continue under the Foreign Ministry but that the current legal structure would be dissolved. Georgian officials confirmed the restructuring to the news agency Interpress. In 2008, NATO designated Georgia and Ukraine as potential future members, despite objections from several European leaders over concerns that the move would antagonize Moscow, which perceives the US-led military bloc as expansionist and hostile. Months later, Saakashvili launched a military operation against the then-breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, during which Russian peacekeepers stationed in the area were killed. Moscow responded swiftly, leading to a military defeat for Georgia, and shortly after recognized the region's independence. The failed gamble damaged Saakashvili's popularity and paved the way for the rise of the Georgian Dream party, which has taken a more skeptical view of the West. Last August, on the anniversary of the conflict, the party's ruling council issued a statement alleging that Saakashvili's actions 'were not a result of his mental instability, but a result of instructions from the outside and a well-planned betrayal.' Georgian Dream secured a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections last October. A coalition of pro-Western parties claimed the vote was rigged and launched street protests aimed at forcing the new government to step down. The EU and the US expressed support for the opposition's tactics — actions the Georgian government described as foreign interference. Georgian officials have accused the opposition of mimicking the strategy used in Ukraine in 2014 during the Western-backed Maidan coup. They have also alleged they are facing foreign pressure for not aligning with Kiev in its conflict with Moscow. Western nations, meanwhile, have accused the current government of 'undermining democracy' by passing legislation that mandates disclosure of foreign grants by domestic political organizations. Georgia has suspended accession talks with Brussels due to the tensions, but says it still seeks eventual membership in both the EU and NATO.
Russia Today
09-04-2025
- Russia Today
Partial blackout reported in Georgia (IMAGES)
Georgian electricity distributor Telmico has confirmed that a major incident affecting the nation's power grid occurred on Tuesday night. Media reports indicate widespread problems throughout the post-Soviet country. 'The electricity outage was caused by a major incident, but the recovery process has already been launched,' the company told RIA Novosti. 'Throughout the night, electricity supply will be restored for all customers.' Local news outlets have reported intermittent power disruptions in some parts of the capital, Tbilisi, and over a dozen other cities, including Batumi, Kutaisi, Gori, and Poti. At one point, the square near the national parliament experienced outages, disrupting an opposition event commemorating the 1989 crackdown in Tbilisi on Georgians who sought to depose the Soviet government. GWP, a key water supplier in the Tbilisi area, announced the suspension of services in certain parts of the city, although it remains unclear if this is linked to the power outages. Online photos and videos show the contrast between brightly lit high-rise buildings in the port city of Batumi and the predominantly dark areas in other parts of the city. Georgia previously faced a significant blackout in 2021 when damage to a 400 kV line connecting the country with Türkiye disrupted electricity imports.
