**Georgia’s Protesters Continue to Demand Change**
It’s been 173 days since protesters first took to the streets in Tbilisi, demanding that the government release political prisoners and hold new elections. Despite the passage of time, their message remains the same, and they continue to gather outside Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, blocking traffic and drawing attention to their cause.
**Changes at the Special Investigation Service**
In other news, Georgia’s Special Investigation Service (SIS) is set to merge with the Prosecutor’s Office. The move was announced by the SIS itself, but few details have been provided about how this will work in practice. It’s expected that a legislative initiative will be put forward for approval by the one-party parliament.
**Censorship and Repression**
For many protesters, this latest development is simply another example of the government’s attempts to suppress opposition and dissent. Lasha Gabitashvili, an outspoken activist who has been involved in several high-profile confrontations with pro-government MPs, had his Georgian citizenship revoked by the Public Service Hall after he acquired Israeli citizenship through marriage.
**Media Under Pressure**
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for Georgia’s media landscape. Pro-government broadcaster TV Imedi took home the largest share of commercial television advertising revenue in the first quarter of 2025, earning GEL 6.1 million. This reflects an increase of GEL 0.8 million compared to the same period last year.
**Freedom of Expression Under Threat**
In a worrying sign for freedom of expression in Georgia, the Georgian Public Broadcaster has dismissed several journalists and staff from its long-running program “Real Space”. The move was made after they refused to accept reassignment to other departments within the network, citing concerns about editorial freedom and the effective shutdown of the show.
**Economic News**
According to the European Commission’s 2025 Economic Forecast, Georgia’s economic growth is expected to slow down but still reach a “robust” 5-6% in 2025 and 2026. This growth will be partly driven by positive spillovers from Russia’s war on Ukraine.
**Trade Figures**
Finally, figures released by the National Statistics Office show that Georgia’s foreign trade increased by 15.3% year-on-year in January-April 2025, reaching USD 7.76 billion. Exports rose by 14.2% to USD 2.01 billion, while imports increased by 15.7% to USD 5.74 billion.
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