PM Kobakhidze: Sevenfold rise in cargo in Middle Corridor confirms no threat from alternative route

The leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party, Giorgi Vashadze, has been released from prison.Speaking to reporters after his release, Vashadze expressed feelings of great excitement and optimism.“I am very excited and optimistic. I want to extend my congratulations to Georgia. I believe we will undoubtedly succeed because we all aspire to live in a fair and just country,” said Vashadze.The Tbilisi City Court sentenced Giorgi Vashadze to seven months’ imprisonment for failing to comply with a request from the parliamentary Temporary Investigative Commission. He was also barred from holding public office for two years.The charges against Vashadze stem from Article 349 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to “failure to comply with a request from the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament of Georgia.”On April 23, the Tbilisi City Court imposed a bail of GEL 50,000 as a preventive measure in relation to his failure to appear before the Investigative Commission. Vashadze paid the bail within the legal deadline.

“The Government has until May this year to submit its initial position to the Strasbourg Court regarding the factual circumstances, admissibility of complaints, and substantive aspects concerning the October 2024 parliamentary elections,” Deputy Justice Minister of Georgia Beka Dzamashvili has announced.According to him, complaints from eleven individuals and one non-governmental organisation concerning the October 2024 parliamentary elections have been submitted to the Strasbourg Court.“It should be noted that some of these complaints were submitted at the end of 2024 and others at the beginning of 2025; however, the European Court is examining them through standard procedure without expediting. Accordingly, the Government has until May this year to present its position. The complainants will then have the opportunity to respond, and Georgia’s Government will present the final position. It is also significant that the complaints themselves establish that some of them, back at the end of 2024, requested that the European Court apply interim measures in the form of suspending the election results, which the European Court did not grant.With regard to the substance of the complaints, some complainants allege that there was a breach of ballot secrecy, while others, residing abroad, believe their rights were infringed because additional polling stations were not established outside the country’s borders.Regarding the ECHR’s questions, the Court is interested in the extent of any existing evidence concerning violations of ballot secrecy. It also wishes to understand how extensively this right might be compromised, particularly in cases where the state has not established enough polling stations outside the country’s borders.The European Court also raises the question of the extent to which GYLA, a non-governmental organisation acting as an observer, can be a complainant in this case.It is of great importance for the European Court to examine this matter, as it will provide an authoritative legal assessment on the issue. We believe that a definitive conclusion should finally be reached to put an end to all speculation surrounding the 2024 elections.Until then, all stakeholders, both domestic and international, must respect the European Court, await its procedures, and refrain from making any speculative comments on the subject. This decision is also significant in that it will set a precedent; specifically, the European Court’s ruling concerning Georgia, particularly on electronic voting and the number of polling stations abroad, will serve as a precedent for other European states as well,” stated Beka Dzamashvili.According to the Deputy Minister, it is established that some of them, back at the end of 2024, requested that the European Court apply interim measures in the form of suspending the election results, which the European Court did not grant.Moreover, according to information from Georgia’s Ministry of Justice, the Strasbourg Court is posing specific questions to the parties: “1) Do the complainants have any evidence with which to prove that their ballot secrecy was violated; 2) To what extent is it possible that the right to free elections (Article 3 of Protocol No. 1) was violated because more polling stations were not opened abroad; 3) Can GYLA, as an observer, argue about possible violations of the right to free elections?”The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) stated today that the Strasbourg Court commenced examination of complaints submitted concerning the 2024 parliamentary elections.

An Iranian flag flies near the White House, as Iranian Americans participate in a candlelight vigil on January 16 in Washington, DC. Tom Brenner/Getty ImagesThe Trump administration is expected to deport dozens of Iranians back to their home country as soon as this Sunday, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. It would be the first known deportation flight to Iran from the United States since sweeping anti-government protests broke out in the country in recent weeks and President Donald Trump threatened the regime for its brutal crackdown on the uprisings. It would also be the third under Trump There are major concerns about the fate of the dozens of Iranians on board the prospective deportation flight, which was first reported by MS NOW. CNN has reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the White House for comment.Two of the Iranians who have been informed they will be on the upcoming flight are partners and face “an extremely high chance” of being executed for being gay if they are forced to return, their lawyer, Bekah Wolf, told CNN. “If they were to be sent back right now, they’re facing death sentences by hanging,” said Wolf, a lawyer with the American Immigration Council. “When they fled in 2021, they had been arrested by ‘morality police’ for being gay and were being prosecuted for it and for conduct that is punishable by death,” she said Friday. She said they have pleaded with her to save their lives.One of those individuals spoke to CNN in December about his fear of being forced to return to Iran. “I suffered a lot in country for what I am,” he said, telling CNN he was tortured and raped in Iran. He did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation. He came to the US “just to have a normal life like everyone else,” he told CNN at the time.“Definitely, my life is at risk if I return to my country,” he said.He was detained after crossing the border in the waning days of the Biden administration, after traveling months and being robbed and beaten en route to the US. He said he has suffered abuse and discrimination while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention. The man had initially been slated to be on the second deportation flight to Iran in December. He was ultimately kept off it amid a pending appeal of his asylum case, which was denied by the Trump administration. His case is still pending. According to Wolf, the man’s partner is “in terrible medical condition” and has experienced “very intensive medical neglect” in the ICE facility where he has been detained. The expected flight comes as Trump has said that his administration will talk with Iran. Still, the US president has not taken the prospect of military action against Iran off the table. “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case. We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we’ll see what happens. We have a big force going toward Iran,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Thursday. “I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” he said. Wolf noted that “to go out of their way to negotiate with Iran to accept another deportation flight, which is what has to occur in order for this flight to happen, really sort of demonstrates the hypocrisy of our immigration policy.” “We’re saying, on the one hand, that we will support the protesters against this horrific regime, and at the same time we’re making a deal with that same regime to deport people who have fled to seek asylum,” she said. source of information:https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/23/politics/trump-administration-deport-iranians?

A ceremony honouring Tbilisi’s athletes was held, organised by the Tbilisi City Hall’s Department of Culture, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs.This year, 231 athletes were recognised for their achievements across various sports. Winners of European and World Championships received cash prizes and symbolic awards from the City Hall.Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze attended the event alongside Deputy Mayor Irakli Bendeliani and addressed the gathering.“I am proud to stand before you as Mayor of Tbilisi and a passionate supporter of sport. My own past is closely linked to sports. The recent years have seen historic achievements that united the Georgian nation and brought joy and success to our country. Today, we honour those who have achieved exceptional results at the World and European Championships, some for the first time in our history. We are also recognising five women’s teams and an amputee football team,” said Kaladze.Kaladze emphasised that the Tbilisi City Hall actively supports sports development through various programmes, considering it a key priority.“Personally, I aim to inspire others to lead healthy, active lives. Not everyone needs to be a professional athlete, but living a sporty, healthy lifestyle is vital for our well-being. We will continue to promote all sports, thanks to initiatives by the central government and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who is a strong supporter of sport. Infrastructure projects and incentive programmes have been crucial in achieving our recent success, and we must keep working in this direction,” the mayor added.Kaladze expressed gratitude to the athletes and wished them ongoing success.“I wish each of you the best. I am confident that the coming years will bring even greater achievements for our country, and that you will make the Georgian people proud many times over. Remember, your success is not only personal or familial; it’s a victory for our nation. Thank you for all you do. Know that you have a very big fan in me,” he said.During the event, awards were given in five categories. The titles of Best Tbilisi Male Athlete of the Year went to Sandro Bazadze; Best Female Athlete to Eter Liparteliani; Best Male Para-Athlete to Giorgi Kaldani; Best Female Para-Athlete to Nino Tibilashvili; and the Best Project of the Year was awarded to the “Tbilisi School League.”Since 2018, this awards ceremony has celebrated successful Tbilisi athletes. To date, 931 athletes have been honoured. The programme’s budget this year is GEL 1,297,000.

“Debates represent a key part of political life; it is clear and not worth arguing about. Any TV station which does not operate on propaganda whims should, of course, conduct debates with great joy. However, a backstage reality exists, and this should be taken into account,” wrote Vasil Maghlaperidze, Chairman of the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees, in his social media post.According to Maghlaperidze, considerable experience has been accumulated in this regard, which the public should also acknowledge.“The GPB’s First Channel always attempted to organize debates, including in the pre-election period, but a full-fledged debate never took place, because the desire and determination of television alone were not enough for that:a) Attempts to hold debates are usually preceded by endless arguments and claims about who should sit where and with whom for a debate, and finally, as it usually happens, the process ends without a result. For instance, in the fall of 2024, before the elections, after lengthy negotiations, six opposition parties finally refused to participate in the debates.b) On December 4, 2024, as if this had to be a breakthrough, two opposition representatives, Tinatin Khidasheli and Papuna Janelidze, demanded debates with the Georgian Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker, who in their turn agreed to participate in the debates. There was an expectation that this one debate would be followed by another and that a dialogue between political groups would commence.Due to high public interest, the GPB’s First Channel promptly modified its broadcast programming and scheduled the debates for 10 p.m. on December 4. However, the same evening, the opposition representatives unexpectedly changed their decision and refused to participate in the debates.There was another attempt to hold debates in January 2025, this time between opposition parties, which was also preceded by lengthy negotiations. Trivial issues, which, as a rule, a producer makes decisions, were negotiated. This time, the television station was making all sorts of concessions, and yet, almost until the last minute, it was not known whether the debate would take place or not.The debates were held, but amid constant offence, interruptions and shouting, the audience could not hear who was saying what. This program only resulted in everyone’s rejection to participate in the next debates.This is a negative experience that we must definitely take into account and overcome.In its turn, the Public Broadcaster, as always, is ready for debate this time and will spare no effort to ensure that this process proceeds normally,” Vasil Maghlaperidze said.