Day: April 7, 2026
Election of a new Patriarch of Georgia
According to a study published by the organisation Myth Detector, following the death of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, a campaign emerged in Georgia’s information space dividing society into two camps — the “mourning” and the “protesting”. This division not only reflected emotional reactions but also deliberately intensified confrontation.
In this context, politicians, journalists and citizens with critical views often became targets of discrediting campaigns. Their past statements and materials were circulated out of context to portray them as forces acting against the Church and the Patriarch.
Myth of ‘foreign influence‘
The study says one of the central narratives in the campaign framed attempts to discredit the Georgian Orthodox Church as a process organised by foreign forces — particularly the West. This narrative also suggested that external actors are now trying to gain influence over the Church and over the future Patriarch.
In this context, comparisons with a “Ukrainian scenario” were widely circulated. According to this claim, the West is attempting to interfere in the internal affairs of the Georgian Church, including the process of selecting a new Patriarch.
Debate around Metropolitan Shio
Particular attention was given to Metropolitan Shio, who is often mentioned as one of the leading candidates for Patriarch. The study says criticism directed at him was systematically framed not as an independent position but as a direct attack on the late Patriarch.
Within this narrative, respect for Ilia II was automatically linked to support for Shio, while criticism of him was portrayed as rejection of the Patriarch’s own choice. At the same time, views expressed against Shio were often described as part of a coordinated campaign by both domestic and foreign actors.
“Their assessments emphasise that because Shio is seen as one of the real contenders for Patriarch and a possible successor to Ilia II’s course, attempts to discredit him have intensified.
According to these actors, criticism of Shio is not driven by internal church issues but by political interests. They argue that the opposition seeks to align itself with public sentiment and use the Patriarch issue for its own purposes, while the campaign against Shio stems from fears that, as an independent figure, he would resist political influence and continue the Church’s current course,” the study says.
Actors and channels of propaganda
Monitoring by Myth Detector shows that these messages were spread by a wide range of actors. They included representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party, journalists from pro-government media, various political groups and experts, as well as Kremlin-linked outlets and anonymous social media accounts.
The study says this diverse information flow produced a unified effect. It shifted public debate into a religious and emotional sphere and deepened political polarisation.
According to Myth Detector, such campaigns aim not only to discredit specific individuals or groups, but also to reshape public reality so that political confrontation appears as a conflict of values and identity.
Election of a new Patriarch of Georgia
Political analyst Gia Khukhashvili comments on the meeting between Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party. He says no one in Georgia considers Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to be the country’s real decision-maker, so the meeting revealed nothing new to the public.
Khukhashvili argues that by meeting Aliyev, Bidzina Ivanishvili effectively showed Kobakhidze his place. He adds that, in reality, Georgia has not had a genuine prime minister since Georgian Dream came to power, as Bidzina Ivanishvili has always been the one in control.
On 6 April, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev visited Georgia. The main intrigue of the visit was his meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili, about which little is known beyond what Georgian Dream published — silent footage from Ivanishvili’s residence and a brief, formal statement.
Gia Khukhashvili said:
“The picture is bleak. This figure [Irakli Kobakhidze] looks at his political patron, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and hates him, because he lives in his shadow, cannot escape it and cannot express his own will — so that hatred grows. I would advise Bidzina to be more careful — Kobakhidze might one day ‘raise his hand’ in a moment of rage. He is unstable, and he has reasons for resentment. Imagine being called prime minister while knowing you are nothing.
The meeting between Aliyev and Ivanishvili had a formal, protocol appearance, and it made clear who is in charge in this country. But why was Irakli Kobakhidze trailing behind them? He could have stayed aside, like staff. The problem is not only that the country has moved away from a democratic path towards an authoritarian one — many countries face similar issues. But there, leaders are institutionalised and hold official positions. The leader both makes decisions and takes responsibility. Here, Bidzina has created a model in which he makes decisions but bears no responsibility for them.”
“Ivanishvili has turned Georgia into an offshore company and registered it under a nominal figure. But if you look at the documents, the real owner is someone else. In this case, that nominal figure is Irakli Kobakhidze. Today, Georgia is a political offshore, with a nominal founder, while the real levers of power are in the hands of the man sitting in the ‘Glass Palace’.
Since Georgian Dream came to power, Bidzina Ivanishvili has always been the country’s real ruler, and no prime minister has been genuinely in charge.”
“The world is at a crucial stage, with growing interest in developing the South Caucasus corridor. Georgia and Azerbaijan form an inseparable link, bound by a shared geopolitical role. At the same time, the Azerbaijan–Turkey tandem is seeking to dominate this space alone.
We remember the discussions about the ‘3+3’ format, in which the South Caucasus countries, along with three regional powers — Turkey, Iran and Russia — were expected to assert their interests and redistribute influence in the region. Today, Iran has effectively dropped out of the game, while Russia maintains growing influence over Georgia but has lost leverage in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In this situation, I do not believe the Azerbaijan–Turkey tandem will invite us as partners. We have missed the opportunity to secure dividends. We lack a deep-water port that would increase our value.
Security in the Black Sea remains a major issue for the West. Despite the presence of three NATO member states in the region, Russia still dominates, and none of these countries has the infrastructure needed to balance that dominance.”
Новости в Грузии
Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili has met her Kazakh counterpart Yerzhan Kosherbayev in Tbilisi. According to official information, the two sides signed a cooperation programme between the foreign ministries of Georgia and Kazakhstan for 2026–2027.
According to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry, the sides also discussed key areas of both bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including the importance of high-level visits and further deepening ties between the two countries.
Particular emphasis was placed on trade and economic relations. Participants noted that cooperation between Georgia and Kazakhstan plays an important role in developing the “Middle Corridor” — a transport and logistics route linking Europe and Asia that has gained increasing geopolitical significance in recent years.
According to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry, the signed programme sets out concrete steps to be taken over the next two years to place relations on a more institutional and structured footing.
After the meeting, Maka Bochorishvili said the sides also discussed the possibility of “elevating relations to a strategic level”. She noted that Georgia already hosts a significant share of Kazakh business and investment, which, in her view, reflects the country’s attractive economic climate and provides a basis for further expanding cooperation.
Bochorishvili said the agreed action plan covers both political and economic areas and aims to strengthen the partnership through practical measures.
Kazakhstan’s foreign minister arrived in Georgia with a delegation on an official visit on 6 April. During the visit, he is also expected to meet Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and President Mikheil Kavelashvili.
Georgia–Kazakhstan cooperation programme
In the first two months of 2026, Azerbaijan exported hazelnuts worth 57.4 million U.S. dollars, marking a 2.1-fold increase, or 29.5 million dollars more, compared to the same period in 2025, AzerNEWS reports, citing the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication. During January–February 2025, the total value of Azerbaijan’s hazelnut exports was 27.9 million dollars, highlighting a significant year-on-year growth in this sector. The rise reflects increasing international demand and improved production and marketing strategies for Azerbaijani hazelnuts.
Among non-oil exports in the first two months of 2026, gold ranked first with…