The Daily Beat: 22 April
As the anti-regime rallies continue for the 146th consecutive day, protesters in Tbilisi gathered on Rustaveli Avenue to celebrate Easter together. Activists and members of the Orthodox community lit candles, sang Easter songs, and prayed during a holiday service in front of the Kashveti Church, located across from the parliament building. However, on Monday, the police were less tolerant, forcibly removing protesters from Rustaveli Avenue near Parliament and arresting several individuals. Don’t forget to follow our live blog on the Georgian resistance.
According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu is visiting Georgia from April 22 to 24. He has already met with Maka Botchorishvili, the Georgian Dream foreign minister, and will hold further meetings with other officials from the ruling party. Additionally, he plans to visit the Tskhinvali occupation line. There have been no announcements regarding meetings with opposition parties or civil society groups.
The ruling Georgian Dream party celebrated its 13th anniversary on April 21 with a self-congratulatory statement highlighting what it referred to as a period of “irreversible development” and democratic consolidation. The statement emphasized that under Georgian Dream’s leadership since 2012, the country has avoided war despite external pressures, which the party considers a significant achievement, further asserting that “no threats or sanctions will force us into war.”
The 9th session of the Joint Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation between Georgia and China took place in Tbilisi, co-chaired by Georgian Minister Levan Davitashvili and Chinese Deputy Minister Ling Ji. Discussions focused on trade growth, transit corridors, expanded market access, and a new honey export agreement. The parties also highlighted the importance of expanding direct flights and the strategic significance of the Middle Corridor transit route.
Abkhazia’s newly appointed de facto foreign minister, Oleg Bartsits, says Georgia must abolish the law on occupied territories and sign an agreement with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali on the non-use of force. The de facto minister stated to Russian state media TASS that the Georgian leadership’s claims about improving relations with Abkhazia, the Tskhinvali region, and Russia are noted, but emphasized the need for practical confirmations and real steps.
Georgian human rights organizations and activists have called on the international community to respond to the deterioration of rights in the country, especially concerning individuals with disabilities. In a letter signed by around 20 organizations and individuals, they highlight that people with disabilities have been disproportionately affected by government repression during recent protests.
The Data of the Day
The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) has published preliminary data indicating that Georgia’s foreign trade increased by 16.1% year-on-year in January-March 2025, reaching USD 5.62 billion. During the same period, exports increased by 5.7% to USD 1.4 billion, while imports rose by 20.1% to USD 4.22 billion. As a result, Georgia’s trade deficit stood at USD 2.82 billion, accounting for 50.1% of total foreign trade turnover.
