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Senator Roger Wicker (Republican, Mississippi), Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Congressman Joe Wilson (Republican, South Carolina), Co-Chairman; Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, Rhode Island), Ranking Member; Congressman Steve Cohen (Democrat, Tennessee), Ranking Member; and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, New Hampshire), Commissioner — have issued a statement backing a critical report on Georgia prepared under the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism, warning of democratic backsliding and calling for coordinated Western action. “The OSCE Moscow Mechanism report is clear: Georgian Dream is stripping the Georgian people of their hard-won freedoms and turning the country into an isolated, authoritarian state,” the statement reads. It urges U.S. officials, together with European partners, to use sanctions and other available tools to pressure the Georgian government to implement the report’s recommendations. The Commission also calls for the release of all political prisoners, the dropping of politically motivated charges against opposition figures, and the repeal of “anti-democratic and unjust laws.”

A senior Spanish Member of the European Parliament Nacho Sánchez Amor, has sharply criticised the European Union for failing to take meaningful action in response to democratic backsliding in Georgia, calling existing measures “a mockery.” Sánchez Amor said the EU has done “nothing serious” to address the situation. He dismissed the bloc’s decision to impose restrictions on diplomatic passport holders as ineffective, arguing that those targeted can easily bypass them using second passports. “This joke about diplomatic passports is simply a mockery. Everyone has another passport,” he said, adding that such measures do little to prevent Georgian officials from continuing to travel freely or access privileges abroad. He also expressed frustration that earlier promises made to Georgian society about imposing large-scale sanctions have not been fulfilled. “We told the public that the EU was ready to introduce a real, extensive sanctions list banning certain individuals from entering the EU. That did not happen,” he noted, suggesting that legal obstacles were later cited. Sánchez Amor further questioned why the EU has not activated its human rights sanctions regime in response to alleged abuses in Georgia, including the crackdown on opposition figures. He urged EU institutions to act even without unanimity, arguing that a political signal would still carry weight. Drawing comparisons with the United Kingdom, he warned that the EU risks appearing weaker due to its inability to act decisively and criticised what he described as “double standards” in responding more forcefully to Russia-related developments than to domestic repression in Georgia.

Lithuanian MEP and the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur for Georgia Rasa Juknevičienė said from the very outset of taking power in 2012, Ivanishvili’s objective was to redirect the country away from its Euro-Atlantic course. According to Juknevičienė, Ivanishvili’s return to Georgia with vast wealth accumulated in Russia was aimed at reshaping the country’s strategic orientation, aligning it more closely with Kremlin interests. “His goals coincide with those of the Kremlin—captured state institutions and authoritarian governance, as seen in Russia and Belarus,” she said. She added that this represents not only Ivanishvili’s success but also a broader geopolitical gain for Moscow in the Eastern Partnership region. While his party presented itself as pro-European, Juknevičienė argued that its actions in practice have consistently undermined that claim. The MEP noted that the European Commission is now increasingly recognising the reality on the ground, as reflected in its latest progress assessments. She also criticised some EU member states—particularly larger ones—for failing to take stronger action.

Georgia has recorded a dramatic surge in locally produced exports at the start of 2026, driven by an unexpected boom in oil and petroleum products, according to preliminary data from the national statistics office. The standout development is a sharp increase in exports of domestically produced oil and petroleum products, which rose from just $3.8 million in January–February last year to over $88 million in the same period this year — a staggering 2,175% increase. Oil has now become the second-largest category in Georgia’s domestic exports, accounting for 13.3% of the total. The surge comes despite Georgia not being traditionally considered an oil-producing country, raising questions about the nature and origin of the exported products. Overall, Georgia’s total exports reached $1.03 billion in the first two months of 2026, marking a 22.9% year-on-year increase. Domestic exports — excluding re-exports — amounted to $659.7 million, or 64.3% of total exports.

A Tbilisi court has upheld the unexplained entry ban of Maggie Osdoby Katz, a former U.S. diplomat in US missions in Georgia and the OSCE. Katz was denied entry in July 2025 without explanation. On March 16, the court rejected her appeal and, for the first time, cited “state security concerns” — a justification introduced only during litigation. According to Tolerance and Diversity Institute, a Tbilisi-based watchdog, the hearing itself was marred by irregularities: the Interior Ministry failed to appear, Katz was not provided access to the proceedings, and no evidence was disclosed. The court proceeded regardless and ruled against her. While Georgian authorities have barred EU-based journalists and civil society figures since 2024, Katz is believed to be the first American — and a former U.S. government official — to be targeted. The decision comes amid Georgian Dream’s intensified efforts to secure ‘reset’ of relations with the United States.

Ilia II, the long-serving Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and spiritual leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church, has died at the age of 93, church officials confirmed on Tuesday. According to church representatives, Ilia II passed away on March 17 following a brief hospitalization caused by internal bleeding. He had led the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1977, making him the longest-serving patriarch in its history. Born Irakli Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili in 1933 in the North Caucasus, he was educated at the Moscow Theological Academy before rising through the ranks of the Church. Over nearly five decades as patriarch, he played a central role in shaping Georgia’s religious and national identity. The Holy Synod is expected to convene in the coming weeks to begin the process of selecting his successor.

Georgian Dream has launched a fresh attack on Germany’s ambassador to Tbilisi, Peter Fischer. Irakli Kirtskhalia, Georgian Dream parliamentary majority leader, accused Fischer of acting as an “activist” aligned with the opposition United National Movement rather than a diplomat, claiming he has violated basic diplomatic norms, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He also alleged that the ambassador’s rhetoric mirrors that of opposition figure Nika Gvaramia and harms Georgia’s economic and reputational interests. Kirtskhalia added that “Peter Fischer is not Germany,” seeking to distance the ambassador from the German state. The remarks follow a pattern of repeated attacks on Fischer by Georgian Dream officials, which previously prompted a statement from German Federal Foreign Office defending the ambassador and reaffirming its support for his work.

An anti-Israel and anti-American sermon was delivered at the Imam Ali Mosque in Marneuli during events marking Al-Quds Day, with Akhund Rasim Mamedov praising the Georgian authorities for their stance toward Muslims. During the sermon, a propaganda poster was displayed inside the mosque reading “Stop killing children!” and depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump with blood on their hands. Mamedov, who also heads the Ahli Bayt, a Georgian chapter of Ahl-Al-Bayt World Assembly a key Iranian influence organization said during his sermon that Jerusalem — which he referred to as Israel’s capital — “belongs to Muslims.” In the sermon delivered on March 13, Mamedov also praised the position of the Georgian government toward Muslims, stating that “the Georgian government showed solidarity with Muslims in difficult times” and even sent congratulations to Iran following the election of its new Supreme Leader.

On day 472 of Georgia’s uninterrupted protest, thousands march on traditional march held every Saturday from Tbilisi’s philharmonic to the parliament building.

A Georgian national who reportedly studied in Iran and attended a Shia madrassa in Georgia has been arrested in Greece on suspicion of spying on U.S. naval assets at a major NATO base on the island of Crete. The suspect, identified by Georgian investigative outlet Studio Monitori as Samir G., a resident of Gardabani municipality, was detained by Greek authorities on March 2. Investigators believe the 36-year-old man was gathering intelligence at the naval base in Souda Bay, a strategic facility used by the United States, Greece, and NATO in the eastern Mediterranean. According to Greek media and intelligence sources, photographs of U.S. military assets — including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which recently docked at the base — were discovered on the suspect’s phone. Authorities are also examining possible links between the detainee and contacts in Iran via a mobile application. Investigative journalists reported that the suspect had previously studied in Iran and was also linked to a Shia religious madrassa in Georgia. Greek media cited by the outlet said he was staying in a rented villa in Crete, where he reportedly spoke Persian and began conversations with what investigators suspect was a coded phrase: “The ice cream in Crete is good.” The suspect’s mother, interviewed in Gardabani, denied the allegations, saying her son works as a truck driver and had traveled to Europe to visit his father and look for work. Greek authorities are also examining possible links to earlier espionage incidents. Last year, two individuals connected to Georgia were arrested in Greece on suspicion of spying on the same naval facilities.

The president of the Hudson Institute, John Walters, expressed “serious concern” over the launch of an investigation by Georgia’s State Security Service following the publication of a report on Iran’s growing influence in Georgia, noting that the study relies on verified and publicly available information. The report examines the expanding influence of Iran in Georgia and was co-authored by Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Luke Coffey and Giorgi Kandelaki, of the Soviet Past Research Laboratory. “This report is a Hudson Institute publication prepared in accordance with the institute’s research standards. It is based on verified information that is publicly available, as documented in the report’s citations, and Hudson Institute stands firmly behind its findings,” Walters wrote. “Rather than investigating the authors of this report, the Georgian authorities should be concerned by its findings, which rely on publicly available information that the authorities should already know about,” Walters said. According to Walters, the report presents “a clear and systematic picture” of the expanding influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Georgia, a development that runs counter to the interests of both Georgia and the United States and requires serious attention. On March 7, Georgia’s State Security Service summoned several individuals for questioning in connection with the case launched on Article 319 of the Georgian Criminal Code which envisages 7 to 15 years of jail for “assistance to a foreign state, foreign organization, or an organization under foreign control in hostile activities.” Alongside Kandelaki, opposition politician Gubaz Sanikidze, former defence minister Tina Khidasheli, politician Givi Targamadze were summoned.

Sandro Megrelishvili, Dimitri Jamburia, Luka Nagliashvili, Nukri Kakulia, Mikheil Zakareishvili, Zura Manchkhashvili, and Tornike Jandieri have been sentenced to administrative detention in Georgia for standing on a sidewalk during protests, in what critics say is a continuing example of the government’s repressive measures against demonstrators. According to Georgian media reports, Tbilisi City Court found several citizens guilty in so-called “sidewalk cases,” ruling that by standing on the pavement during protests they had obstructed pedestrian movement. Most received four- or five-day administrative detention sentences. The cases stem from legislative changes adopted by the ruling Georgian Dream party that expanded protest restrictions to pedestrian areas. Under the new rules, demonstrators can face fines or up to 15 days of administrative detention for allegedly blocking pedestrian movement on sidewalks.

U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson said defeating Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party is necessary to counter Iranian influence. “Anti-American party Georgian Dream is deathly afraid that Americans will learn they are tied to the Iranian regime. That’s why they are doing everything they can to silence experts highlighting this fact. Defeat Georgian Dream to defeat Iran,” Wilson wrote. Wilson made the statement in response to remarks by Hudson Institute President John Walters who expressed concern over the decision of the Georgian State Security Service following launching of an investigation amid publication of the Institute’s report on the Iranian influence in Georgia.

Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has dismissed a report on Iranian influence in Georgia published by the Hudson Institute as a “fake” and part of what he described as an “information attack against the country.” “This is a whole scheme where we see certain Georgian actors directly cooperating with foreign forces in order to create pretexts for informational, political or other types of attacks against Georgia,” Papuashvili said. According to him, the publication of the report follows what he described as a typical “propaganda method of hybrid warfare.” “First a fake, quasi-scientific study is created and presented as research, then it is circulated in the media and used to shape perceptions about a country. In this case we are facing a direct information war against Georgia,” Papuashvili said. The Hudson Institute report examines the growing influence of Iran in Georgia and was co-authored by Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Luke Coffey and Giorgi Kandelaki, project manager at the Soviet Past Research Laboratory.

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the government may revise its constitutional lawsuit seeking to ban opposition parties seeking to ban even more parties. The statement came following announcement of a new opposition alliance which includes nine parties. “The only thing this will cause for us is that we will probably have to correct the lawsuit we submitted to the Constitutional Court — we may need to change the names of the parties in line with the new configuration,” Kobakhidze said. He did not rule out adding additional parties to the list. On March 2, nine opposition parties announced a joint strategy and cooperation framework aimed at securing electoral victory. The alliance includes Ahali, Girchi–More Freedom, Droa, European Georgia, the National Democratic Party, the United National Movement, Freedom Square, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, and the Federalists. The move comes amid a broader effort by the ruling Georgian Dream party to ban several opposition groups. In October, parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili said the ruling party had filed a constitutional complaint seeking to prohibit three parties — the United National Movement, Ahali, and Lelo. The lawsuit was published on the website of Georgia’s Constitutional Court on November 4, 2025.

Ilia State University which faces 97% cut of its programs by the Georgian Dream regime in what is widely seen as a large-scale frontal crackdown on Georgia’s pro-Western higher educational institutions marched on Chavchavadze avenue in Tbilisi protesting the regime’s “reform.”

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has sent an official message congratulating Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. “On behalf of the Government of Georgia, I congratulate you on your election as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Georgia attaches great importance to partnership relations between our two countries and peoples based on mutual respect. I wish the Iranian people peace and prosperity,” the message reads.

A Group of ethnic Azerbaijani Georgian citizen gathers outside the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi with photos of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Khamenei, we are ready to execute your orders!” they exclaimed. Iran’s influence in Georgia has been hotly debated in recent days with publication of two independent reports on the influence of the Islamic Republic and its facilitation of Georgian Dream.

A Georgian man told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that the IRGC tried to recruit him during a pilgrimage in Iran. He claimed awareness of “many cases,” believes Georgia-based clerics tipped IRGC. Several ethnic Azerbaijani Georgian citizens were detained in Greece for spying on US naval assets. formulanews.ge/News/131820