Talk Georgia Weekly News Update. May 30. 2026

Ivanishvili: A Spin Dictator? How to Challenge His Power | Guest: Khatia Dekanoidze | Ep. 52

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE Guest: Khatia Dekanoidze, former Education Minister of Georgia and former Chief of Ukraine’s National Police. 01:05 – Introducing the Guest 03:31 – How she came across How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa, why she decided to translate it into Georgian, and what she is translating next. 08:04 – Khatia Dekanoidze’s path to police reform in Georgia and Ukraine. Which was more difficult? 22:07 – What would she do differently if she were reforming the police and other law enforcement agencies today? And what does the Gori incident reveal about the state of the Georgian police? 33:03 – Current affairs: the alleged spy scandal and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ so-called “censorship department.” Is Ivanishvili a spin dictator, and how does he use propaganda to maintain his power? 43:26 – The Saakashvili–Melia “war of letters”: who benefits, where it is heading, and how the opposition can regain momentum and challenge Ivanishvili’s rule. 54:32 – Regional geopolitics: developments on the battlefield in Ukraine, growing U.S. and European engagement in the Caucasus, Armenia’s critical elections, Russia’s attempts to meddle, and Georgia’s place in a changing region.

Ivanishvili: A Spin Dictator? How to Challenge His Power | Guest: Khatia Dekanoidze | Ep. 52

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE Guest: Khatia Dekanoidze, former Education Minister of Georgia and former Chief of Ukraine’s National Police. 01:05 – Introducing the Guest 03:31 – How she came across How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa, why she decided to translate it into Georgian, and what she is translating next. 08:04 – Khatia Dekanoidze’s path to police reform in Georgia and Ukraine. Which was more difficult? 22:07 – What would she do differently if she were reforming the police and other law enforcement agencies today? And what does the Gori incident reveal about the state of the Georgian police? 33:03 – Current affairs: the alleged spy scandal and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ so-called “censorship department.” Is Ivanishvili a spin dictator, and how does he use propaganda to maintain his power? 43:26 – The Saakashvili–Melia “war of letters”: who benefits, where it is heading, and how the opposition can regain momentum and challenge Ivanishvili’s rule. 54:32 – Regional geopolitics: developments on the battlefield in Ukraine, growing U.S. and European engagement in the Caucasus, Armenia’s critical elections, Russia’s attempts to meddle, and Georgia’s place in a changing region.

26 May: Bidzinocracy or Freedom? | The Gori Police Scandal: Can It Break the System? | TGQT Ep. 48

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE This is a special edition of Talk Georgia, which airs every Sunday at 22:00, where Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze answer audience questions about Georgian and regional politics. Top Questions of the week: Lucy I’m relatively new to Georgia. On 26 May, I had mixed feelings. In the morning, Georgia seemed almost like a theocratic state. But by the evening, seeing thousands of people in the streets calling for freedom, I started to think differently. Which side of Georgia is winning in the end? Giorgi The Gori incident shows that police violence is not about political affiliation. It is widespread and systemic. Do you think it could become a trigger, like the Girgvliani case or even the prison abuse footage? Please send your questions for the next show to talkgeorgia1@gmail.com

26 May: Bidzinocracy or Freedom? | The Gori Police Scandal: Can It Break the System? | TGQT Ep. 48

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE This is a special edition of Talk Georgia, which airs every Sunday at 22:00, where Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze answer audience questions about Georgian and regional politics. Top Questions of the week: Lucy I’m relatively new to Georgia. On 26 May, I had mixed feelings. In the morning, Georgia seemed almost like a theocratic state. But by the evening, seeing thousands of people in the streets calling for freedom, I started to think differently. Which side of Georgia is winning in the end? Giorgi The Gori incident shows that police violence is not about political affiliation. It is widespread and systemic. Do you think it could become a trigger, like the Girgvliani case or even the prison abuse footage? Please send your questions for the next show to talkgeorgia1@gmail.com

Talk Georgia Weekly News Update. May 30. 2026

Talk Georgia brings you weekly news updates on the key political and regional developments in Georgia. New episodes drop every Saturday at 22:00. Don’t miss out !