High-Profile Corruption Arrests and Political Tensions Dominate Georgia's News Agenda
November 10, 2025
Today, November 10, 2025, Georgia's news landscape was largely shaped by significant anti-corruption efforts and deepening political divides. The Prosecutor's Office announced the arrest of five individuals, including former Deputy Chairman of the Road Department, Levan Kupatashvili, in connection with the 2023 collapse of a bridge on the Samtredia-Grigoleti highway. They are accused of embezzlement totaling over 16 million GEL, alongside charges of abuse of power and falsification of official documents. Concurrently, Vladimer Stepaniani, owner of the “Crystal Group,” was placed in pre-trial detention for allegedly constructing five hotels in Bakuriani without proper authorization and engaging in money laundering. Furthermore, Givi Tsuleiskiri, founder of “Sfero Holding,” was also reportedly arrested today.
Political tensions remained high, with opposition figures continuing to face legal challenges. Nika Melia was fined 5,000 GEL by the court, while political figure Zurab Japaridze made defiant statements about remaining in the country despite accusations. Several NGOs criticized the Anti-Corruption Bureau, alleging that it targets civil society rather than exposing corruption. Adding to the political discourse, an article in The Economist titled 'Georgia extinguishes the last embers of democracy' drew sharp reactions, with Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze dismissing European bureaucracy as 'faceless' and their statements 'full of lies'. Protests also took place near the Government Administration, demanding the disclosure of the agreement with the Arab company Eagle Hills.
Economically, several key indicators and developments were reported. The USD exchange rate stood at 2.7065 GEL. The accumulated pension fund reached 7.9 billion GEL, with 112 million GEL disbursed to 24,823 individuals. Looking ahead, Tbilisi City Hall announced a tender of 8.28 million GEL for the 2026 New Year's celebrations, confirming the main Christmas tree will be moved to Republic Square. Discussions also highlighted that new transport corridors between Azerbaijan and Armenia could lead to Georgia losing up to 20% of its transit cargo, while a new road project aims to reduce travel time from Tbilisi to Telavi to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
In sports, the Georgian national rugby team, the Borjgalosnebi, secured a significant 43:30 victory against the USA national team. This win marks a crucial step in their preparation for upcoming matches against Canada and Japan, which are vital for improving their World Rugby ranking ahead of the 2027 World Cup draw. Georgian footballers abroad, such as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giorgi Mamardashvili, also received positive reviews for their performances, though Yuri Tabatadze's goal was controversially disallowed in a Spanish League 2 match.