Iranian ambassador slammed @HudsonInstitute report on the Iranian influence in Georgia, endorsed investigation against its Georgian co-author Giorgi Kandelaki and said PM Kobakhidze answered allegations against US-sanctioned Al Mustafa University in georgia 🔗 formulanews.ge/News/133065

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said Moscow is ready to deepen relations with Georgia, describing Russian-Georgian ties as one of the key factors behind Georgia’s economic growth. Speaking at a briefing, Zakharova said Russia “understands Tbilisi’s efforts to end external diktat” and build relations with foreign partners “on the basis of equality and mutual respect.” “We are ready to deepen Russian-Georgian ties, which are one of the main factors of Georgia’s economic rise. We are doing this with a pure heart and an open soul,” Zakharova said. According to Zakharova, Moscow is “open to expanding cooperation with Tbilisi” on the basis of mutual respect. “Tbilisi has made a firm and conscious choice in favor of restoring the country’s sovereignty and ensuring the interests of the Georgian people — and I would add, in favor of the dignity of its own country and people,” she said.

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has praised Georgia’s deepening ties with China, calling the relationship between the two countries an “exemplary strategic partnership.” Kobakhidze held a briefing focused on China, where he said the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed between Georgia and China on June 9 was “an event of special importance for our country, both politically and economically.” Reviewing relations between Tbilisi and Beijing, Kobakhidze said China treats Georgia “as an equal and peer,” adding that this was “particularly striking and worthy of appreciation against the backdrop of the existing flaws in global politics.”

Georgian Dream MP and majority leader in Irakli Kirtskhalia has dismissed Republican Congressman Joe Wilson as a “comic figure,” saying statements by him and other “odious” figures carry little importance for Georgia’s ruling party. “Mr. Wilson is a comic figure — he was, is and will remain a comic figure,” Kirtskhalia said. “We know his past well and we see his present: sometimes he runs around with one country’s flag, sometimes he promotes some product of another country, or whatever he does. That is his business. I am sure it is then reflected in his declaration, and several very interesting facts concerning him have also come out in the so-called FARA. So statements by such comic and odious figures are of little importance to us,” Kirtskhalia said. Kirtskhalia made the remarks on June 8, when asked about the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the “Countering Chinese Communist Party Control of the Caucasus Act.” The bill was introduced by Republican Congressman Joe Wilson and Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen. His remarks follow earlier comments by Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who said that Wilson “is not taken seriously even in his own country.” On June 8, the U.S. House of Representatives approved Wilson’s bill, which would require the State Department, together with senior intelligence and defense officials, to submit a classified report within 180 days on the penetration of Russian and Chinese intelligence services in Georgia and their possible cooperation.

While authorities have not named the countries involved, RFE/RL concludes that Chikhladze is likely accused of spying for an unnamed European state — a remarkable development in a country where Europe has traditionally been viewed as a partner, not an adversary 🔗 formulanews.ge/News/132943

Georgia's State Security Service (SSG) announced that it has arrested the founder and head of a non-governmental organization on charges of espionage, alleging that the individual maintained ties with the intelligence services of two foreign countries. At a briefing, the agency claimed that the NGO leader obtained intelligence-related information and passed it to foreign intelligence services in exchange for material benefits and in pursuit of foreign interests. According to the SSG, the suspect maintained systematic clandestine contacts with foreign intelligence operatives and provided information both during in-person meetings and through electronic communications. The agency said some of these meetings took place outside Georgia. The security service further alleged that the accused had established information platforms and organized various events across the country while simultaneously cooperating with the intelligence services of two foreign states and conducting parallel intelligence activities. The SSSG did not disclose the identity of the detainee or the countries allegedly involved.

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has again accused former MP and SovLab researcher Giorgi Kandelaki of “treason” over a recent report published by the Hudson Institute on Iranian influence in Georgia and a related editorial published by The Washington Post. Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze dismissed the report’s claims regarding Iran-linked influence infrastructure and attacked Kandelaki personally, calling him “a standard formula of treason.” “Kandelaki is an ordinary formula of treason,” Kobakhidze said. “He talks about Iran and you know how many lies he told, including regarding trade and economic relations, references to educational institutions and so on.” The Prime Minister claimed that one of the institutions referenced in discussions surrounding Iranian influence “does not even have authorization,” and argued that trade figures between Georgia and Iran make allegations of sanctions evasion implausible. “When your exports are 0.5 percent and imports are 1.5 percent, talking about sanctions circumvention is excessive,” Kobakhidze said. He accused Kandelaki of betraying the country by speaking in the United States about the issue and suggested legal consequences could follow. This marks Kobakhidze’s third statement over the course of a few days accusing Kandelaki of treason.

Iran’s ambassador to Georgia, Ali Mojani, praised the closeness between Islam and Orthodox Christianity during a meeting with Georgian Dream-backed President Mikheil Kavelashvili at Tbilisi’s Juma Mosque. In a statement published alongside photos from the event, Mojani said the worldviews of Iran and Georgia were “very close” regarding “the philosophy of the world and the place and role of man.” Referring to a phrase used by Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II — “God, Homeland and Man” — the ambassador linked it to Islamic thought and the Eid al-Adha holiday. “Islamic thought and the Orthodox Christian worldview come close to one another where man bears responsibility for understanding himself, God, homeland and society,” Mojani wrote. He also thanked Kavelashvili for visiting the mosque and engaging in dialogue with the Islamic world, calling it “an important sign of mutual respect, coexistence and dialogue between civilizations.”

Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze appeared to threaten legal action against Giorgi Kandelaki over a Hudson Institute report on Iranian influence in Georgia and a recent editorial by The Washington Post. “A new small wave of attacks has been launched against the Georgian people, our country, and our government. [Foreign] Agents are directly involved in this, including this particular individual, who is a formula of treason — Mr. Kandelaki,” Kobakhidze said. “We know about his past activities, we know what he is doing today. I do not know, perhaps a legal response would not be inappropriate in relation to this fact either, although this is not my responsibility — it is the responsibility of the relevant state institutions,” he added. Kobakhidze was responding to a question from pro-government media concerning the Hudson Institute report co-authored by Kandelaki on Iranian influence in Georgia and a Washington Post editorial that referenced the issue. The government-aligned outlet suggested the Washington Post editorial had effectively been sponsored or paid for by Kandelaki’s “so-called research,” accusing the newspaper of publishing an “anti-Georgian article” that portrayed Georgia as a “training center for terrorists,” and asked whether the state should respond with legal measures to such “provocative articles.”

In what appeared to be the biggest protest rally since the height of protests in Georgia in the end of 20204, thousands came out at a protest rally organized by an opposition alliance of nine parties on Georgia’s independence day. The organizers said the rally demonstrated the protest is not out of steam despite massive crackdown and imprisonment of protestors 📹 MO SE

Georgian authorities prevented opposition groups from installing a stage and sound equipment for an Independence Day rally on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue, opposition leaders said on May 26. According to opposition leader Nika Gvaramia, police blocked and seized trucks carrying speakers, screens, stage structures, and other technical equipment from reaching the area near parliament ahead of the evening demonstration. Tbilisi patrol police chief Goga Memanishvili told opposition representatives they did not have permission to bring the equipment onto the site, arguing that the Interior Ministry had not yet approved their application. Opposition leaders said they had submitted the required paperwork and accused the authorities of using bureaucratic procedures to obstruct the rally. “The most important thing is for everyone to see the regime’s legitimacy problem — thousands of people come out and they won’t even allow us the possibility to speak,” said Tamara Chergoleishvili.

Leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party did not mention either Georgia’s First Republic or the Russian occupation during their speeches marking Independence Day on May 26. May 26 commemorates the declaration of Georgia’s independence by the First Republic in 1918, when the National Council of Georgia unanimously adopted the Act of Independence in Tbilisi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Armenia on May 26, Georgia’s Independence Day, where he is set to meet the Armenian leadership in Yerevan. Rubio’s trip to Yerevan — rather than Georgia — is likely to be viewed symbolically in Tbilisi, particularly as Georgian Dream officials have recently claimed that ties with Washington are improving and nearing “restoration” following months of strain.

Zaza Shatirishvili, a pro-government commentator and philosopher associated with billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has published another letter through Georgian government-aligned media outlets, reviving conspiracy theories about the so-called “deep state.” In the letter, Shatirishvili claimed it is now a “confirmed fact” that even U.S. President Donald Trump is controlled by the “deep state,” arguing that Trump’s supposed war against it had turned out to be “a complete farce.” “It is already clear to everyone that Donald Trump himself is directed by the deep state,” Shatirishvili wrote. “This is no longer just an opinion, but an established fact.” He argued that Trump had failed to expose “oligarchic families,” had not taken steps contradicting alleged “deep state” policies, had not fully defeated what he called the “pseudo-liberal agenda” and “LGBTQ propaganda,” and had failed to end military conflicts he once promised to stop. Instead, he claimed, Trump had “become an instigator of war himself” in line with the interests of a so-called “global war party.” Shatirishvili further alleged that the “deep state” was carrying out a “rebranding process” aimed at weakening Europe while preserving the United States as a global superpower. He also accused Washington of remaining silent over unspecified “inhumane events” taking place “in the middle of Europe.” According to him, the Georgian government is “obliged” to show society “the full truth,” which he described as “far more bitter and grave than the stench of decay coming from the European continent.”

Georgian celebrity journalist and media figure Nanuka Jorjoliani was jailed for three days for “obstructing pedestrian traffic” that is taking part in the daily protest on sidewalk, as Georgian Dream continues to jail protestors. Repeated “offense” may result in one year of imprisonment.

Shalva Papuashvili, Chairman of the Georgian Dream’s one party parliament met senior Chinese Communist Party officials during an official visit to China, according to the Georgian Parliament’s press office. Papuashvili held talks with Wang Huning, a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, as well as with Zhao Leji. According to the Georgian side, Papuashvili said Georgia and China share commitment to national sovereignty, peace, security, and the principles of international law. The Chinese side reportedly reaffirmed support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. During his meeting with Zhao Leji, Papuashvili reaffirmed Georgia’s commitment to the “One China” policy and invited his Chinese counterpart to visit Georgia.

Georgian Dream announced plans to establish a special unit within the Interior Ministry tasked with monitoring and “legal response” to “hate speech,” “insulting campaigns,” and “aggressive communication” in the public sphere. Mamuka Mdinaradze, a senior representative of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ruling party, said the new division would proactively monitor public communications containing hate speech, incitement, insults, or attacks on personal dignity, and could independently refer cases to court without waiting for citizen complaints. He also suggested that administrative detention could be used in some cases if statements are deemed insulting or inciting hatred according to what he called “widely accepted international precedents.” According to Mdinaradze, the Interior Ministry unit would make the initial assessment, while courts would have the final say on whether public statements cross the line from criticism into punishable insult or hate speech.