Georgian Dream accused of pressuring opposition and bribing voters

Ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held in Georgia on October 26, the Center for Democracy Studies published a report on the pre-election situation in the country. According to its data, the ruling Georgian Dream party uses violence and pressure on the opposition, uses state resources for its own purposes, and drives civil servants and public sector employees to its events.

“Cases of violent interference in the opposition’s election campaign, as well as attempts to exert psychological pressure on civil servants and socially vulnerable groups of the population, have been documented,” the report says.

In addition, according to the document, teachers, medical staff and other civil servants have been repeatedly sent to Georgian Dream events during working hours, which violates the law. Many initiatives and programs aimed at young people and offering financial benefits were launched during the pre-election period. According to the authors of the report, this can be perceived as an attempt to bribe voters. Also in 2024, municipalities recorded a 16.5% increase in the number of employees and the salary fund, which may indicate political use of administrative resources.

Последние новости
Human rights
"They’re going to kill me": St. Petersburg lawyer of Chechen descent found with signs of strangulation
16 August 2026

Shamil Akhaev, a 44-year-old lawyer who had lost contact on August 10, has been found dead. Media outlets and online groups tracking the search reported the news on August 15. His body was discovered in a wooded area.

CSTO Secretary General Urges Armenia to Decide on Participation in the Organization Within a
Politics
CSTO Secretary General Urges Armenia to Decide on Participation in the Organization Within a "Reasonable Timeframe"
16 August 2026

It is time for Armenia to decide how it will participate in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), stated the organization's Secretary General, Taalatbek Masadykov. According to him, the issue needs to be resolved "within a reasonable timeframe."

New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
Economy
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
15 August 2026

New car sales across Russia’s North Caucasus fell by 21% in July compared with the same month last year. The sharpest decline was recorded in Dagestan, where the new-car market nearly halved over the year.

Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
Society
Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
15 August 2026

Queues remain at the Russian-Georgian border following temporary restrictions on traffic through the Verkhny Lars crossing. The situation has drawn additional attention amid rumours circulating in Russia about a possible new mobilisation, recalling the autumn of 2022, when large numbers of men eligible for military service left the country through the crossing. There is no official evidence linking the current restrictions to any mobilisation measures.