US expected to deport dozens of Iranians as Trump threatens regime over crackdown

“I would like to present a simple indicator that demonstrates the fact that the alternative corridor does not pose a threat to Georgia,” stated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze during a live broadcast on Imedi TV.According to the Prime Minister, such threats are unfounded and largely speculative.“We welcome the restoration of relations between our neighbours and the development of trade and economic ties. Regarding our transit role, we are making significant investments to enhance our transit infrastructure, covering roads, ports, airports, and various facilities. This is based on positive expectations of sustained growth in transit volumes.I want to present a simple indicator that confirms the alternative corridor does not pose a threat to Georgia: the volume of cargo in the Middle Corridor has increased sevenfold over the past five years. In light of this, our primary task is to optimise our infrastructure to keep pace with this growing cargo flow. With such growth, the alternative corridor will merely serve as a complement to our transit capacity. Therefore, all such concerns are unfounded speculation. We will continue to invest heavily in developing what is often referred to as the connectivity function,” said Irakli Kobakhidze.

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.

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.