The 17th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival has come to an end, Azernews reports.
Day: September 29, 2025
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia announced it charged the parents of Giorgi Bachiashvili, currently in jail on charges of embezzling cryptocurrency from Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, with helping launder up to USD 3.5 million of the embezzled funds.
The charges follow a criminal probe into the laundering of 8,987 Bitcoins, worth roughly USD 1 billion at today’s prices, that the court found Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former associate of Bidzina Ivanishvili, had embezzled from the billionaire. Earlier in September, prosecutors also froze the assets of Bachiashvili’s parents, including bank accounts and properties “purchased during and after Giorgi Bachiashvili committed the crime.”
“The ongoing investigation has found that Giorgi Bachiashvili has also involved his parents in the actions necessary to legalize part of the criminally obtained assets,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in its September 29 statement.
Prosecutors allege that Bachiashvili’s parents helped launder his assets by transferring funds from abroad into Georgia, depositing them in their own accounts and those controlled by Bachiashvili, commingling them with other assets, purchasing and later selling properties, and moving the money to accounts under Bachiashvili’s control, aiding the final placement, layering, and integration of the funds. Prosecutors say these actions helped conceal and disguise the assets’ original nature, source, location, placement, circulation, and ownership.
“As a result, between 2017 and 2023 Giorgi Bachiashvili, with his parents’ help, legalized illicit income of USD 2,944,957 and GEL 1,097,187 [USD 407,000] derived from criminally obtained assets,” prosecutors said.
Bachiashvili’s parents were charged under Articles 25 and 194-3(c) of the Criminal Code, which cover laundering particularly large sums of money, an offense punishable by 9 to 12 years in prison.
Bachiashvili is serving an 11-year prison sentence after being convicted of embezzling a large sum of cryptocurrency from Ivanishvili and laundering it. He was arrested in May following what he said was his abduction from abroad involving State Security Service head Anri Okhanashvili. The alleged abduction followed his escape from Georgia in March, when Bachiashvili cited “credible information” suggesting his life would be in danger if imprisoned.
In July, Bachiashvili reported being beaten in jail. Prison authorities later suggested that prison staff, inmates, and Bachiashvili himself may have coordinated the incident, a controversy that led to the resignation of Georgia’s Special Penitentiary Service chief, Bezhan Obgaidze.
The money-laundering investigation comes as the ruling Georgian Dream party tightens anti-corruption laws, including measures that bar individuals convicted of financial crimes from leaving the country until restitution is made and allow recovery of embezzled funds from the convict’s relatives.
Also Read:
- 29/09/2025 – Court Orders Mikheil Saakashvili to Pay GEL 9 Million Over ‘Jackets Case’
- 15/09/2025 – Imedi TV Reports New Criminal Probe Into Protests, Points at Universities
- 23/08/2025 – Prison Agency Chief Resigns Amid Bachiashvili Beating Investigation
- 27/05/2025 – Former Ivanishvili Aide Giorgi Bachiashvili Arrested
Political analyst on Georgia-US relations
“The US president might make a call to Georgia, but only to Bidzina Ivanishvili — not the authors of the letters we’ve seen,” said political analyst Valeri Chechelashvili, referring to the letters sent by Georgian Dream figures Mikheil Kavelashvili and Irakli Kobakhidze to Donald Trump.
In his view, Georgian Dream must take steps to show the US that the ruling party is ready for serious compromise, both in domestic politics and in international relations.
Mikheil Kavelashvili, president of Georgian Dream, told the 80th session of the UN General Assembly that the Georgian people would not tolerate the language of ultimatums, blackmail or intimidation. He said Georgia was open to dialogue and cooperation of any kind, but called for respect, fairness and dignity in return.
Notably, in his speech Kavelashvili mentioned the occupation of Georgia and the war in Ukraine — but not once did he name the aggressor, Russia.
Political analyst Valeri Chechelashvili:
“The US president could well call Georgia — but only Bidzina Ivanishvili, not the authors of the letters we’ve seen.
Why would he call? Well, if he calls Lukashenko, why not Georgia? The first US demand could be the release of political prisoners, followed by a well-rehearsed message that Washington has delivered before — including at the last meeting between the former US ambassador and Georgia’s foreign minister, Maka Bochorishvili. Alongside political prisoners, I think two more issues would be raised: repealing repressive laws and holding new parliamentary elections.
I strongly disagree with the idea that relations with the US should start from scratch. We had a well-established framework based on the Charter on Strategic Partnership. That experience should not be discarded — nor should the billions in US aid. To do so would be, at the very least, ungrateful towards America.
But renewing and restoring ties requires more than words. I think Georgian Dream knows perfectly well that statements and appeals alone won’t solve the crisis. What is needed are actions that prove the party is ready for serious compromise — both in domestic politics and in international relations.”
It was a good thing that Kavelashvili avoided using propagandistic terms like “party of global war” or “deep state” on the international stage. I don’t know whether he was advised to do so or came to that decision himself, but in any case it was the right choice. It was also good that he spoke in Georgian — that is perfectly normal and standard practice. My impression was that if diplomats from Guyana or Bolivia, unfamiliar with Georgia’s problems, had listened closely, they would have thought it was a successful and stable country.
But if you don’t face reality, you can’t see ways to solve existing problems. When speaking from the highest platform, it is crucial to stand out with something original and engaging so that the audience remembers you and the country you represent. This time, Mikheil Kavelashvili left no impression at all.
Political analyst on Georgia-US relations
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