Leader of the Gakharia for Georgia Party Comments on the Deprivation of Its Members' Deputy Mandates

One of the leaders of the Georgian opposition, Giorgi Gakharia, commented on the parliament's decision to deprive members of his party of their deputy powers on the social network X. According to him, in such cases, we are talking about "opening the way for politically motivated criminal prosecution, abolishing immunity from fabricated charges and eliminating the main political threat before the municipal elections."

The oppositionist emphasized that a political boycott is a constitutional right that the Gakharia for Georgia party exercised after the "rigged elections of 2024" by refusing to join the "captured legislative body, but not giving up the mandate given by the people."

Earlier it became known that the Georgian parliament, which in fact acts as a one-party parliament, unanimously voted to cancel all 12 mandates of the opposition Gakharia for Georgia party. In particular, Teona Akubardia, Ana Buchukuri, Giorgi Gakharia, Levan Gogichaishvili, Zaza Tavadze, Beka Liluashvili, Natia Mezvrishvili, Berdia Sichinava, Kakhaber Kemoklidze, Roin Kochorashvili, Dmitry Tskitishvili and Zviad Dzidziguri lost their parliamentary powers due to “unreasonable absence from meetings.”

In addition, on July 2, former Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia underwent another interrogation by the temporary investigative commission of parliament, remotely connecting to the meeting. The discussion turned to the checkpoint set up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in Chorchana in August 2019. Years later, the ruling party accused the then head of the department of trying to provoke an escalation of the conflict with the Russian Federation, which could lead to a “large-scale war.”

Gakharia told the commission that the checkpoint was set up in an attempt to prevent borderization, since at that time Georgia did not control that area of ​​the forest – it was controlled by the occupation forces. He stressed that using local residents for political persecution is unacceptable, and accused the authorities of turning former security officials into “false witnesses.”

“You turned the Minister of Internal Affairs of your own government and the former head of the State Security Service into ordinary false witnesses and eavesdroppers. Georgia did not have effective control over that forest at that time, the occupation forces exercised effective control over that forest. This is confirmed not by my words, but by the annual report of the State Security Service for 2019, the EUMM press release for 2019, as well as the statement following the 49th round of the Geneva talks made by the representatives of Georgia,” Giorgi Gakharia said.

Последние новости
Georgian Dream further tightens regulations for assemblies and demonstrations
Politics
Georgian Dream further tightens regulations for assemblies and demonstrations
8 December 2025

Georgia's ruling party has initiated amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations and the Code of Administrative Offenses, the discussion and adoption of which will proceed expeditiously. According to the bill, organizers of events at "places where people move" will be required to notify state authorities in advance.

The North Caucasus republics ranked last in the car affordability rankings for families
Economy
The North Caucasus republics ranked last in the car affordability rankings for families
8 December 2025

A RIA Novosti study revealed significant differences in car affordability across Russian regions. The worst situation is observed in the North Caucasus republics, where only a small proportion of families can afford to purchase and maintain a new car on credit.

Former Georgian Interior Ministry Official: Banned Substance Used to Disperse Rally at Central Election Commission in 2020
Politics
Former Georgian Interior Ministry Official: Banned Substance Used to Disperse Rally at Central Election Commission in 2020
8 December 2025

Former Georgian Interior Ministry official Lasha Shergelashvili, who served as the head of the Armaments Department of the Special Operations Directorate, said on Formula TV that a banned substance was used to suppress a protest outside the Central Election Commission in 2020. When asked if he had any suspicions, he replied that he "knew for sure that it was used" as he was there at the time.

The Speaker of the Russian State Duma questioned Georgia's prospects for European integration due to its adoption of an anti-LGBT law
Politics
The Speaker of the Russian State Duma questioned Georgia's prospects for European integration due to its adoption of an anti-LGBT law
8 December 2025

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin recalled that anti-LGBT laws have been in effect in Russia for three years, prohibiting any propaganda of LGBT rights, pedophilia, and gender reassignment. He also noted that, according to the amendment to the country's Constitution, "marriage is a union between a man and a woman," emphasizing that this is the choice of Russian citizens.