Vasil Maghlaperidze: We are filled with great sympathy towards Mzia Amaglobeli; this issue should be resolved through balance of humanity, forgiveness, justice

The pro-Russian Georgian Dream has left the country isolated from progress and prosperity, Giorgi Gakharia, the leader of the Gakharia for Georgia party, writes on the social network X.He responded to the peace agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia yesterday.As Gakharia notes, Georgia will inevitably take its rightful geostrategic place.“Congratulations to our friends and neighbours, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and their leaders President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan, on choosing peace and opening a new chapter for the South Caucasus. With President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. has once again proven its ability to deliver peace and stability in the region.Georgia should have been an active architect of this new regional reality, shaping peace, driving connectivity, and securing our shared future with allies, but the pro-Russian Georgian Dream has left the country isolated from progress and prosperity.Nevertheless, Georgia will inevitably take its rightful, geostrategic place in shaping the region’s future within President Trump’s peace and prosperity project for the South Caucasus,” Gakharia wrote.

“The majoritarian candidates nominated by Georgian Dream will work with me for the good of the city over the next four years,” said Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze in response to a media question.“Many positive projects have been completed in the capital over the past eight years, but challenges remain. We have a clear vision and a plan to address these issues and develop the city. Majoritarians are in daily contact with residents, and we will continue to support them in the future,” he added.The Tbilisi Mayor also stated that he is indifferent to who the opposition nominates as their mayoral candidate.“I am not particularly interested in who the opposition chooses as their candidate. Along with my team, I have a vision for what our capital needs over the next four years, specific projects to implement, and how to respond to the ongoing challenges in Tbilisi. Who other political parties nominate is of no real importance to me,” he emphasised.On August 7, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced the Georgian Dream party’s candidates for the upcoming local government elections, who will contest single-mandate seats in the Tbilisi City Assembly (Sakrebulo).

“I congratulate the Presidents of the U.S. and Azerbaijan, and the Prime Minister of Armenia on closing a landmark peace deal. Georgia has always stood for regional peace and cooperation,” wrote Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the X Platform.According to the PM, Georgia will continue to support peace and stability in the region.“Georgia welcomes this historic moment for Armenia and Azerbaijan, the region and the entire world! Congratulating U.S. President Donald Trump, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on this success — closing a landmark peace deal and opening a new era of stability and economic development in the region. Georgia has always stood for regional peace and cooperation — and will continue to support it unwaveringly,” he said.The leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia signed an agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict as they were hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, August 8.Armenia and Azerbaijan had committed to stop fighting, open up trade and diplomatic relations and respect each other’s territorial integrity.

“If Mzia Amaglobeli or her supporters are looking for culprits, those culprits were sitting in that courtroom as ambassadors who were encouraging her not to cooperate with the investigation,” Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili declared.Parliament Speaker has accused foreign ambassadors of being responsible for journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli serving her full two-year prison sentence, claiming they discouraged her from cooperating with investigators and accepting a plea bargain.“When we reviewed the 24 embassies’ statement on Mzia Amaglobeli’s verdict, I noticed the French ambassador’s signature. Let me remind you that in France, a person was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for slapping Macron. The person then cooperated with the court, admitted guilt, and received four months in prison with 14 months suspended, though still an 18-month sentence for assault,” Papuashvili stated.“In Georgia, the court sentenced 24 months’ imprisonment for an analogous, similar case. It was exactly the same situation: a person who slapped the French president in the face, and in Georgia, a person was slapped in the face. The cases are identical analogies, including similar punishments: 18 months in France, 24 months in Georgia.What’s the difference? The difference is that it was four months in prison and 14 months non-custodial in France, because a plea agreement was arranged. In Georgia, however, Mzia Amaglobeli neither cooperated, nor admitted guilt, nor accepted the proposed plea bargain,” Papuashvili stated.The Speaker accused the French ambassador of hypocrisy in calling Georgia’s sentence disproportionate.“The French ambassador calls this disproportionate. You know that the prosecutor’s office offered Mzia Amaglobeli a plea agreement. There was no agreement from Amaglobeli’s side, no admission of the crime that all of Georgia witnessed live on air. Accordingly, the court likely had no opportunity to make any further determinations,” Papuashvili added.The Speaker blamed ambassadors who attended court hearings for advising against cooperation with the investigation.“If Mzia Amaglobeli or her supporters are looking for culprits, those culprits were sitting in that courtroom as ambassadors who were encouraging her not to cooperate with the investigation. It is on the conscience of the ambassadors present in the courtroom that no plea agreement was reached, and that Mzia Amaglobeli must serve the full two years.In the case of a plea bargain, it could have been part of a conditional sentence or a different arrangement. Instead of Mzia Amaglobeli, much like the individual in France who confessed to the crime, the ambassadors effectively cornered her. A sentence of 24 months is entirely proportional, and it is false to claim that it is disproportionate. The French ambassador is particularly misleading, as in France, a person was sentenced to 18 months for exactly the same offence,” said Papuashvili.Batumi City Court on August 6 has sentenced Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the Batumelebi and Netgazeti media outlets, to two years in prison. The sentence will commence on January 12, 2025, the day of her arrest.

The State Employment Promotion Agency is now accepting applications for funding of short-term vocational training and retraining courses. Both public and private educational institutions may submit the required documentation between August 11 and 22.Deputy Health Minister Gia Tsagareishvili emphasised that such training enhances skills and boosts employment opportunities. He encouraged regional centres to participate in the programme.The Employment Promotion Agency currently collaborates with approximately 30 public and private colleges. Short-term vocational training programmes range from one to three months and cover areas such as computer programming, aesthetics, beauty therapy, accounting, hospitality, catering, engineering, home care, working with children with special needs, and educational leadership.In 2025, the agency financed over 80 courses for 2,000 citizens nationwide, with most securing employment thereafter. In 2024, up to 3,700 job seekers benefited from the programme, gaining valuable new skills.Applicants are advised to visit the State Employment Promotion Agency’s service centres to register.