Health Minister: No impediment to health system’s proper functioning

Tbilisi City Court has sentenced Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the Droa party, to one year and six months in prison.Khoshtaria did not attend the announcement of the verdict, nor had she participated in any of the court proceedings, citing protest.According to her lawyer, Khoshtaria does not recognize the case as criminal and considers it politically motivated. She reportedly submitted a written statement to the court, refusing to attend the trial or acknowledge the authority of the court and related institutions affiliated with Georgian Dream.Khoshtaria was arrested on September 15, 2025, and charged under Article 187 of the Criminal Code for damaging another person’s property, causing significant loss. The incident occurred on September 14, near the election headquarters of Kakha Kaladze, when Khoshtaria wrote “Russian Dream” on Kaladze’s banner. She shared the act on social media, stating it was in solidarity with Megi Diasamidze, who had been arrested for a similar action and later released on bail. The court set bail at 5,000 GEL. Khoshtaria refused to pay and remained in detention.

Leaders of the United Arab Emirates have expressed their deepest sympathies to the President and Prime Minister of Georgia following the passing of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II.“The President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has sent a letter of condolence to the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, mourning the loss of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia.His Highness, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, along with His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President, Vice-Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, dispatched similar messages of sympathy to the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze,” the Arab media reported.Following the death of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, on March 17, numerous diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia, as well as representatives of various religious confessions, have offered their heartfelt condolences, recognising his profound spiritual leadership and the enduring legacy he leaves behind.Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II passed away on March 17 at the age of 93.

“Fortunately, the vast majority of Georgian society clearly sees who is a hero, who is an anti-hero, who wishes well for Georgia, and who wishes it harm,” said MP Guram Macharashvili, a member of the People’s Power.He added that some attempted to cast Elene Khoshtaria’s imprisonment as a political act, despite her going to prison of her own free will.“When you don’t pay bail, it indicates an intention to go to prison. Whether it’s from abroad or of your own accord, it’s a different matter. It’s more likely that she was instructed from abroad to go to prison, under the guise of political imprisonment. Everyone knows well that Khoshtaria and others are not in prison because of their differing political positions. The fact is, she herself admitted to possessing pyrotechnics, petrol, bottles, and other materials in her warehouses, which she could have used to set fire to police officers, storm the parliament, and so on. She confessed to all of this herself, and there is little evidence to contradict her. The notion that her imprisonment was political was doomed from the start. Those serving their sentences today are doing so based on legal proceedings. Elene Khoshtaria is not a political opponent; she is an ordinary hooligan,” Macharashvili stated.The Tbilisi City Court sentenced Droa leader Elene Khoshtaria to one year and six months in prison.

The crews from the Imereti regional department of the National Food Agency and the Stray Dogs Hyper-population program, in coordination with the Emergency Situations Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), removed animals from the landslide-hit and disaster zone of Kursebi village.The process was organized at the request of locals, who were involved in the identification of animals. The animals will be transferred to the Kutaisi Municipal Shelter. They will be returned to their owners after they are provided with necessary veterinary services and care.

As a result of the physical inspection, as well as checking the belongings of Georgian and foreign citizens, and the vehicles driven by them at the customs checkpoint of the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance - "Sarpi", customs officers detected undeclared gold (weight - 99.11 grams) and silver (weight - 335.33 grams) jewelry.The total customs value of the undeclared goods amounted to 26,066 GEL.The case materials against the foreign citizen who violated the law were transferred to the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance for further action, and the citizen was fined 1,000 GEL for the violation provided for in Part 1 of Article 168 of the Customs Code of Georgia.