The Daily Beat: 23 April
The Georgian Dream government has established a new agency, the State Grant Management Agency, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on April 15. The agency, classified as a Legal Entity of Public Law (LEPL), is tasked with distributing state-funded grants to civil society organizations.
The GD government has introduced a legislative package to the Parliament to tighten immigration controls due to increased illegal migration and crime. The proposed amendments aim to reform the expulsion of foreign nationals, implement new biometric data collection, and impose harsher penalties for administrative offenses. For more details, read our story on new legislation.
President Salome Zurabishvili criticized Georgian Dream party officials for comparing visa-free travel to the EU with Georgia’s sovereignty. She called their remarks a “campaign” aimed at demoralizing the public. Georgian Dream officials are promoting a “blackmail” narrative about the potential suspension of visa-free travel, suggesting that Georgians must choose between the regime and their sovereignty.
GD-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili will travel to the Vatican to attend the funeral of the late Pope Francis, according to the GD President’s press service. The delegation will also include GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, the head of Kavelashvili’s administration, Ketevan Kvinikadze, the head of the patriarchate’s foreign relations unit, and other senior clergy members.
On April 23, reports emerged that citizens were being fined GEL 5,000 (approximately USD 1,800) for allegedly parking improperly, although some individuals claim they do not even own cars. This fine is the same amount imposed for blocking roads during protests. Shortly after these reports, the Ministry of the Interior attributed the situation to a “technical problem” and stated that the relevant department is working to resolve it.
The Tbilisi City Court has set bail at GEL 50,000 (approximately 18250 USD) for Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the opposition party Unity-UNM. This decision follows Vashadze’s failure to appear before a temporary parliamentary investigative commission probing alleged crimes committed during the previous UNM government. For more updates on repressions and the Georgian resistance, please visit our live blog.
The ultra-conservative, anti-Western Alt-Info movement, which is openly pro-Russian and anti-liberal, was registered as a political party called “Conservatives for Georgia” on April 22. However, in 2024, the public registry canceled the party’s registration. This decision followed a request from the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which asked the public registry to investigate the legality of the party’s registration, specifically regarding irregularities in the signatures submitted.
Levan Davitashvili, the GD First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, participated in the spring meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which took place on April 22-23, 2025, in Washington, D.C. During the meetings, Davitashvili engaged in high-level discussions with senior officials of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
On April 22, OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu, who is visiting Georgia, met with the Georgian Dream Prime Minister, Speaker, Foreign Minister, and representatives of the Central Electoral Commission. According to a press release from the GD government administration, the discussions focused on Georgia’s collaboration with the OSCE, the regional situation, and the challenges Georgia faces. For more details, read our story on Sinirlioğlu’s visit to Georgia.