Day: April 22, 2026

Georgia’s population nears four million

Georgia’s population exceeded 3.9 million (3,929,581) as of November 2024, according to census data from the National Statistics Office.

The revised figures show that women make up 52% of the population, while men account for 48%. The gender gap is particularly noticeable in major cities: in Tbilisi and Kutaisi the share of women is higher, while in some municipalities the ratio is nearly equal.

The population remains concentrated in the capital, with about a third of the country’s residents living in Tbilisi. Among the regions, Imereti and Kvemo Kartli have the largest populations.

Overall, 62% of the population lives in urban areas, compared with 38% in rural areas, indicating a continued trend towards urbanisation in Georgia.

Georgia’s death rate still outpaces births

In 2025, 37,867 children were born in the country, while 44,319 people died

Outside the capital, a high share of the urban population is also recorded in the south-west, in Adjara, largely driven by the growth of the resort city of Batumi. By contrast, in mountainous and less urbanised regions, the proportion of urban residents is significantly lower.

The age structure shows that the largest segment of the population is of working age, with those aged between 30 and 40 particularly prominent. At the same time, the gender gap widens with age: in the oldest groups, women significantly outnumber men.

The share of women is especially high among those aged 85 and over, where the number of women is 2.6 times greater than that of men.

Georgia’s population nears four million

Diaspora mobilizes to rescue Armenia from Pashinyan’s destructive actions  The Armenian Weekly

Installation of solar panels has begun at the Shafag Solar Power Plant project site in Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil district, marking a key milestone in the country’s renewable energy development, AzerNEWS reports.

Analyst Lela Djedjelava has commented on recent government reshuffles in Georgia, saying that the heads of the state security service should not be “changed like socks”. In her view, this suggests that the importance of the institution is not fully understood.

She also argued that the post of vice prime minister in Georgia has effectively become equivalent to a “political retirement”.

“This is the worst government in Georgia’s post-independence history” – opinion

According to expert Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, Georgian Dream combines corruption with a brutal repressive apparatus

Lela Djedjelava said that the fact a state minister is a minister without portfolio is nothing new, and that it hardly needs explaining that the political weight of such a post differs significantly from that of the head of the State Security Service.

“If, in the case of Mdinaradze, the decision has already been made to create the position of state minister, then parliament is unlikely to oppose it. However, this raises an entirely different problem. We can clearly see the attitude towards the State Security Service. Its heads should not be changed like socks. This suggests that the importance of this state institution and its function are not properly understood. And this, in my view, is the biggest problem.

The significance of this particular agency for the state, and of the security structures more broadly, is either poorly understood — or this is being done deliberately.

I have often wondered how it came to pass that one former prime minister [Irakli Garibashvili] is in prison, while another [Giorgi Gakharia] is accused of treason and lives in exile. A former head of the State Security Service, his deputy, two former defence ministers — not to mention the president under the previous government [Mikheil Saakashvili] — are also in prison. How did this happen?

All this is being done so that public trust in state institutions is gradually eroded, leading to a complete devaluation of statehood in people’s minds.”

She added that another aim of these moves was to build trust in vague or ill-defined positions, reinforcing the idea that anyone with money can effectively substitute the state.

“In my view, the post of vice prime minister in this country has become equivalent to a political retirement.

Mamuka Mdinaradze is there only temporarily. I am not even sure that the creation and staffing of this ministry will be completed. The head of the State Security Service already has influence over other agencies, even if we put everything else aside.

The worst part is that those who occupy these key positions often end up in prison.

I do not know what Mamuka Mdinaradze’s future will be, but I think [Georgian Dream founder and honorary chairman] Bidzina Ivanishvili, by moving him, is bringing him closer to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, because the question of replacing Kobakhidze will also arise.

Although the fact that we are discussing this now may prompt Ivanishvili to delay that process.

It should be recalled that Mamuka Mdinaradze is a Kobakhidze appointee. We all recently saw footage of how, during Ivanishvili’s meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Kobakhidze followed behind Ivanishvili like a scolded child.

This entire carousel is driven by the desire of one individual to prolong his hold on power, while further strengthening his own role and diminishing state institutions.”

Opinion: ‘Aliyev–Ivanishvili meeting shows who is in charge in Georgia’

According to political analyst Gia Khukhashvili, no one in Georgia sees Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze as the country’s leader

Government reshuffle in Georgia

At the FT Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne, leading figures in global commodity trading delivered a stark assessment: the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not a short-term disruption but a structural shock whose consequences will reverberate across global supply chains for years. From oil refining to food production, the cascading effects are already being felt, AzerNEWS reports.

Georgia’s interior ministry has launched an investigation under a rape article after Albi Kordzaia, an active participant in pro-European protests, posted allegations on social media against another protester — Luka Chokhonelidze, founder of the Nabiji (“Step”) movement.

In her post, Ms Kordzaia accused Mr Chokhonelidze of sexual harassment and said she had information about a woman whom, she alleged, he had raped. According to her, the alleged victim does not wish to appear publicly or speak about the case.

Georgia protests: 500 days of continuous demonstrations

The march on 11 April 2026 marked the 500th day of pro-European protests in Georgia.

Ms Kordzaia describes a personal experience she says took place in 2023 at the office of the Nabiji movement. She says that while resting in one of the rooms, she woke to the sensation of someone touching her body and saw Luka Chokhonelidze. She says she left the office immediately and has since viewed any matters involving him through the lens of a personal conflict.

In response to the allegations, Mr Chokhonelidze said he would not allow anyone to tarnish his reputation. He said establishing the truth was прежде всего in his own interest and that he was prepared to pursue the matter through all legal avenues, including the courts and the prosecutor’s office.

He also said he intended to sue Ms Kordzaia for defamation. According to him, he would reconsider that decision only if the allegations were disproven. He added that he was not seeking an apology, but wanted the issue to be clarified through legal means.

Impunity, violence and inequality: What Georgia’s ombudsman report reveals

The report assesses the state of human rights, highlighting both signs of progress and systemic problems.

Activist in Georgia accuses fellow campaigner of abuse

Azerbaijani female wrestler Gunay Gurbanova has advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 European Championships being held in Tirana, Albania, AzerNEWS reports.