Those who grew up in the early 2000s surely remember The Rasmus, the Finnish rock band that defined a generation with hits like “In the Shadows,” “Livin’ in a World Without You”.
Day: November 5, 2025
Police said on November 5 that they arrested Manana (Mancho) Giorgobiani, a prominent figure supportive of the ruling Georgian Dream party, over organizing and participating in violence against supermarket staff.
The Interior Ministry said Giorgobiani verbally assaulted local supermarket staff and then contacted an acquaintance, after which a group of men arrived, dragged two employees outside, and physically attacked them. The arrest comes a day after Giorgobiani targeted Georgian Dream Interior Minister Geka Geladze on social media, issuing verbal threats against Geladze and the ministry.
An investigation is underway under Article 225 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers organizing, managing, or participating in group violence, and Article 126, which covers acts of violence, the ministry said. If convicted, Giorgobiani could face up to nine years in prison. The ministry added that six other individuals involved in the incident have also been identified.
The ministry also released video footage showing a woman with her face blurred, allegedly Giorgobiani, verbally abusing supermarket employees. In the footage, she is heard shouting insults such as “go to your country” and threatening to “call boys” to “tear them apart,” before physically confronting the staff as she is pushed outside.
The footage then shows a group of men approaching a cashier, dragging him outside, and beating him, while the woman points at another employee and accuses him of also “raising a hand” against her. According to the official report, the two assaulted employees were born in 2004 and 2006.
On November 4, Giorgobiani’s social media post, no longer publicly available, went viral after she publicly attacked Georgian Dream Interior Minister Geka Geladze, reportedly over police stopping one of her family members in the street.
She reportedly wrote, among other things, that Geladze had “reinstated the Saakashvili‑era police and subjected us to iron shackles.” Addressing Geladze as “Gelka,” she accused him of having “let it go to [his] head” and warned she would “blow the entire MIA in the air and demote [Geladze] from the minister’s post.”
Giorgobiani was a staunch supporter of the ruling Georgian Dream party and frequently praised its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, as well as the party’s activities in her social media posts.
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EU envoy on Georgia
The findings of the European Commission’s report are devastating for Georgia’s European aspirations, said EU Ambassador Pawel Herczyński.
The diplomat stressed that responsibility for this lies with the ruling Georgian Dream party and listed all the factors undermining Georgia’s European integration.
At the same time, Herczyński noted that the doors to the European Union remain open for Georgia if the government chooses to change course and return to the values and principles on which the EU is founded.
What did EU envoy say
Pawel Herczyński: “EU membership is a strategic and sovereign right and choice of every state. By applying for membership, each country commits to reforming its institutions and legal system with the aim of gradually aligning them with EU norms and standards. Each country also agrees that the European Commission will annually assess its readiness for EU membership.
The progress made by all candidates, including Georgia, since 2023 has been evaluated in the European Commission’s annual enlargement report. This package, consisting of reports on ten candidate countries, was published today. The report provides a comprehensive, fact-based assessment of how far Georgia has advanced in fulfilling the commitments it made when applying for EU membership.
Some may ask why we are preparing a report on Georgia if the enlargement process has effectively been suspended at the initiative of the Georgian authorities. The reason is clear: enlargement is a process based on merit and transformation. The annual report offers an opportunity to assess what Georgia has achieved and where it stands on its path toward the EU. The document once again reaffirms that the EU’s doors remain open, provided that the Georgian authorities take the necessary steps.
As the EU ambassador to Georgia, it is not easy for me to present this year’s report. Unfortunately, its findings are devastating for Georgia’s European aspirations. The truth is that Georgia is now much further away from EU membership than it was in 2023, when it was granted candidate status. The overall level of democratic regression is absolutely unprecedented. Over the past 12 months, there has been serious backsliding in both the fundamental principles of enlargement and the criteria for candidate status.
We have witnessed a rapid erosion of the rule of law. State institutions have been used as tools to pursue political goals. The independence and impartiality of the judiciary have been undermined by legislative changes, creating a risk of judicial capture. Systematic repressive actions have damaged civic space and the credibility of the media. Law enforcement authorities have used excessive force with complete impunity.
The Georgian authorities have periodically spread hostile, anti-European rhetoric, disinformation, and conspiracy theories aimed at undermining relations between Georgia and the EU. The arrests of leading opposition figures, combined with the ruling party’s statements about banning some opposition parties, represent a direct attack on one of the European Union’s fundamental principles — democratic pluralism.
Today’s report also details how, since last year, Georgia’s progress on the technical aspects of EU standards has significantly slowed.”
EU envoy on Georgia