Political Tensions Mount Amid Legal Proceedings, EU Concerns, and Air Crash Aftermath in Georgia
November 12, 2025
Today, November 12, 2025, a series of significant political, diplomatic, and domestic events unfolded across Georgia. The day was marked by intensifying legal proceedings against former high-ranking officials, critical assessments of Georgia's European integration trajectory, and the ongoing investigation into a tragic military plane crash.
A major domestic political development saw the Georgian Prosecutor's Office initiate criminal proceedings against former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. The charges reportedly relate to the events of "Gavrilov's Night" on June 20-21, 2019, and the Chorchanas outpost incident. This move has been widely interpreted by opposition figures as political vendetta. Concurrently, former President Mikheil Saakashvili was transferred back to Rustavi Prison N12 from the Vivamed clinic, with the Penitentiary Service stating he no longer required inpatient treatment.
Internationally, the aftermath of a Turkish military plane crash near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border continued to draw attention. The "black box" of the ill-fated aircraft has reportedly been recovered, and an investigation into the cause is underway. Reports indicate that 19 of the 20 military personnel on board have been found. In related diplomatic news, Paweł Herczyński, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, offered a sobering assessment of the country's EU aspirations, stating that Ukraine and Moldova are considerably ahead of Georgia in their integration paths and that Georgia is further from the EU than it was in 2023. He also confirmed that the European Commission would publish a report on the visa suspension mechanism in December, which will include Georgia, with member states to make a final decision.
On the economic front, mixed signals emerged. Georgia saw a 46% increase in wheat imports during January-September 2025, while Georgian apple exports reached a historical maximum, with Russia noted as the primary market. The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report projecting that renewable energy sources would outpace fossil fuels in the coming decade. Domestically, the Minister of Healthcare, Mikheil Sarjveladze, announced ambitious plans for primary healthcare, including a projected 120 million GEL investment over four years, which aims to increase salaries for medical personnel. Discussions also touched upon the review of property tax thresholds and the complexities of establishing a minimum wage. The Georgian Prosecutor's Office also announced the detention of the founders of "Sfero Holding" and "Sfero Invest" on charges of large-scale fraud, following complaints from numerous victims.
Further domestic concerns included an appeal from the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics to the Supreme Council of Justice, seeking clarification on potential restrictions regarding mobile phone use for journalists in court buildings, citing concerns over media access and working conditions.