Georgian President Kavelashvili offers pardons to jailed opposition if they take part in elections

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has said he was ready to pardon opposition leaders who were arrested in recent weeks, if they express a desire to participate in the October 2025 municipal elections. Kavelashvili made this statement against the backdrop of a declared boycott of the elections by numerous opposition parties. According to him, ‘It is important that all political parties registered in accordance with Georgian legislation and expressing a desire to participate in the electio

Mikheil Gvadzabia

• 7 July 2025 • 3 min read

Lelo members announcing participation in the elections. Photo: TV Pirveli.

Georgia

Georgian opposition party Lelo announces plans to run in local elections

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The chair of the Government of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze. Photo: iRegions.

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US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan said the private letter was received ‘extremely poorly’ in Washington.

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Kabarda–Balkaria

Traffic police officer wounded in Nalchik knife attack, one assailant shot dead

According to official accounts, the attackers aimed to seize the officer’s service weapon.

Jul 7, 2025 11:36 AM

Armenia

Ukraine claims Russia upping military presence in Armenia amidst tensions with Baku

Without explicitly addressing the accusations, Armenia said such reports were ‘fabricated’.

Jul 7, 2025 11:24 AM

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In Focus

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Pankisi Valley

Inside the Pankisi brewery making traditional Chechen fruit-based non-alcoholic beer

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Kisturi Draft reimagines a time-honoured tradition in Georgia’s Pankisi Valley — non-alcoholic rosehip and hawthorn berry ‘beer’.

Posters promoting live music events at Junkyard, an underground venue in Tbilisi. Photo: Daniel Hayes/OC Media.

Georgia

Between the beats: Live music in techno-driven Tbilisi

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Reviews

Review | 5 Days of War — an offensively bad depiction of the August 2008 War

by Nate Ostiller

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Renny Harlin’s film combines the worst elements of Hollywood action-movie cliches along with a substanceless explanation of the events themselves.

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Datablog | Georgians don’t want to be ruled by church, despite confidence in religious institutions

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While Georgians have great confidence in churches and religious organisations, 42% believe they have too much power in the country.

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The parents of deceased soldiers protest in front of the government building in Yerevan. Photo: Sona Hovsepyan/OC Media.

Armenia

Death behind the frontline: families seek answers to Armenia’s rampant non-combat deaths

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Official investigations have so far failed to reveal the true causes of many Armenian soldiers’ non-combat deaths.

Georgia

‘A new language for living’ — Nana Zaalishvili on Soviet bus stops and Georgian architecture today

by Xandie (Alexandra) Kuenning

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Georgian architect Nanuka (Nana) Zaalishvili has spent the last ten years documenting Soviet bus stops, their designs influencing her own work.

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Inside the Pankisi brewery making traditional Chechen fruit-based non-alcoholic beer

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‘A new language for living’ — Nana Zaalishvili on Soviet bus stops and Georgian architecture today

How the media (cannot) cover trials in Georgia

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