Georgia on December 30: New EU Visa Rules Take Effect, Partskhaladze Sought, and Major Infrastructure Progress
Today, December 30, 2025, saw significant developments across Georgia, spanning international relations, domestic politics, infrastructure, and preparations for the New Year. A notable event is the coming into force of the European Union's updated mechanism for suspending visa-free travel for third-country nationals, a policy aimed at addressing challenges related to visa-free schemes with more robust and flexible measures.
Domestically, the day was marked by intensified legal and political discourse. A nationwide search has been declared for former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze, with pretrial detention imposed in absentia. Prosecutors indicated that the case includes testimonies from friends of Levan Jangveladze, alleging confrontation with Partskhaladze. This development fueled opposition criticism, with figures like Levan Tsutskiridze and Khatia Dekanoidze denouncing what they described as a deepening corruption crisis within the state. Conversely, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze highlighted the year's impressive economic achievements, projecting a national economy exceeding 100 billion GEL for the first time and reaffirming the government's commitment to combating corruption effectively.
Infrastructure development remained a key focus. An international tender was announced for the second lot of the Tbilisi bypass road, a project valued at approximately 490 million GEL that includes two 3.4 km parallel tunnels and a 7.3 km four-lane highway. Additionally, the highway section through the Rikoti Pass was reported as complete, promising to reduce travel distance by 8 km and halve travel time. Plans were also announced for a 4.5 km road from Arsha to Stepantsminda and the allocation of 24.290 million GEL for the rehabilitation of Narikala Fortress in 2026.
As Georgia approaches the New Year, several practical announcements were made. Public transport, including metro and buses, will operate on an extended and free schedule on New Year's Eve. However, the country is bracing for cold and snowy weather until January 3, which has already caused power outages in most villages of the Imereti and Samegrelo regions. Furthermore, a ban on intercity minibus passenger transport will come into effect from January 1, 2026. Other reports included the release of former Deputy Infrastructure Minister Koba Gabunia on 500,000 GEL bail and the detention of a Georgian citizen near occupied Tskhinvali by occupational forces.