საინფორმაციო სააგენტო ინტერპრესნიუსი

I had a phone conversation with Salome Zurabishvili. The future of Georgia is in the hands of the Georgian people, and Georgia’s further progress on the European path must rely solely on European values. This was written by the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, on his X page.

According to Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of "Lelo – Strong Georgia," the demands for holding new elections and releasing political prisoners remain unchanged and will not be altered under any scenario.

A telephone conversation took place between the fifth President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, and the President of the European Council, António Costa.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, met with Alejandro Hajdenberg, Head of Mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jeroen Kremers, the Fund’s Executive Director, and Andrew Jewell, the IMF’s Resident Representative in Georgia. The information was released by the Government Administration.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has charged one individual with the illegal purchase, possession, and unlawful importation of a particularly large quantity of narcotic substances into Georgia. This information was released by the agency’s press service.

"The challenges are enormous and truly difficult, and I’m referring to the challenges that exist now because of the adoption of many repressive laws," – said MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor during the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) session, where he discussed the recent visit to Georgia.

"Europe is our hope, our supporter and our backbone, but at the same time, we have been watching the West in astonishment — how for years it failed to punish Putin’s neo-fascist, neo-Stalinist regime. Europe! Show your strength! Putin must be defeated!” – said Georgian writer Lasha Bugadze during an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) in Brussels, where the situation in Georgia was being discussed.

“Every week we are forced to introduce changes and amendments to the report due to new evidence and the new, brutal steps the regime presents us with. I believe we must call on the member states to impose sanctions as soon as possible, especially on those responsible for the repression and everything we are witnessing in Georgia,” – said MEP Rasa Juknevičienė during an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI).

Participation in the local self-government elections is a legitimization of the Russian violent regime – I express hope that our partners from “Lelo” will return to the principled position they themselves signed just a short while ago, said Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of the "Coalition for Change," at a briefing.

What can I say about the radical opposition? What we’re hearing now – haven’t I been telling you this all along? They are unprincipled, without dignity, and full of double standards.­

The attempt to start banning words in the media is straight out of Orwell’s book—they are trying to further restrict society, but this society is fighting, and they cannot suppress this protest, said Georgia’s fifth President, Salome Zurabishvili, during a briefing.

"No one is passing a law against anyone – in any country, the public has the right to receive unassessed and objective information from journalists," – said the "People’s Power" MP, Guram Macharashvili, when speaking to journalists about the enforcement of the Law on Broadcasting.

The regime is just a few steps away from fully establishing a dictatorship in the country, specifically by silencing a few microphones. There is ongoing persecution of priests and opposition MPs, as well as the practical destruction of NGOs and media, said opposition politician Gigi Ugulava.

Nika Melia met yet another absurd charge with a smile. To be honest, he doesn't even care how many ridiculous accusations the regime throws at him,” said Beka Kviniqadze, lawyer of Nika Melia, one of the leaders of the “Coalition for Change,” after visiting him at Rustavi’s 12th Penitentiary Facility.

Participation of the opposition in local elections means capitulating resistance, normalizing the regime, giving it new breathing space, and postponing change, wrote Tamar Chergoleishvili, leader of the “Federalists” party, on social media.

"Georgia is a stark reminder that backsliding is possible on the path to the European Union. When we begin granting candidate status to a country, it does not automatically mean that progress toward the EU will follow," – said Marta Kos during an extraordinary session of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

Individuals employed as advisors in public service who currently receive compensation will have to carry out their advisory duties without pay.

What is happening in Georgia is already classical authoritarianism, and the term “democratic backsliding” is over in Georgia’s case. The regulations recently adopted in the country seem to be legal, but in reality, they restrict free speech, said Zaza Bibilashvili, head of the Chavchavadze Center, on the PalitraNews program “Day’s Newsroom.”

In Georgia, foreign nationals employed in the field of Information Technology (IT) will be required to obtain a special type of residence permit. This permit will be issued to labor immigrants and their family members who are employed in the IT sector and are registered with the Ministry of Health; to foreign nationals registered in Georgia as individual entrepreneurs with small business status engaged in IT activities and their family members; and to authorized representatives or leadership of international companies operating in the IT field and their families.

"The law is being enforced, and we are in the stage of its enforcement – now everyone should do their part, and when they claim that a certain institution is illegitimate or that someone is a political prisoner, they must back it up with proof," – stated Davit Matikashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules.

The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development and Vice Prime Minister, Levan Davitashvili, explained that the optimization of funds in state-owned enterprises was achieved, among other things, through staff reductions. He made this statement to journalists following the government meeting.

"We are launching a process that will serve as the basis for the full-scale reform of state-owned enterprises," — said Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze during a government meeting.

Taking into account today’s repressive policies, and in the absence of negotiations on early parliamentary elections, we do not see how our participation in the local self-government elections could serve the public interest — the opposition’s final decision on participation in the local elections must be a joint one, reads the statement by the “Freedom Square” party.

One of our key national goals is to eliminate poverty once and for all, and of course, economic growth is crucial for achieving this — by 2028, the programmatic goal is to reduce unemployment below 4% and raise the average salary above 3,500 GEL,” said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze during a government meeting.

According to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will be nominated for the St. George’s Victory Order for winning the Champions League. Additionally, as the Prime Minister noted during a government session, due to the highest-level awards received in top club tournaments, Kakha Kaladze and Zaza Pachulia will also be nominated for the St. George’s Victory Order.