Talk Georgia Weekly News Update. May 16. 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/talkgeorgiaPLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHAREGuest: Khatia Dekanoidze, former Education Minister of Georgia and former Chief of Ukraine’s National Police.Introducing the Guest Khatia Dekanoidze's path to police reform and why she decided to translate Maria Ressa's How to Stand Up to a Dictator.Current affairs: the Gori incident, the alleged spy scandal, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs' so-called "censorship department."The state of Georgia's police, security services, and law enforcement institutions.The Saakashvili–Melia "war of letters": who benefits, where it is heading, and how the opposition can regain momentum and challenge Ivanishvili's rule.Regional geopolitics: Ukraine's battlefield developments, growing U.S. and European engagement in the Caucasus, Armenia's political landscape, Russia's role, 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 !

The Protest Is Back - What’s Next? | “We Will Win in the End” - But When? | Zurab Japaridze Ep. 51

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgiaPLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHAREGuest: Zurab Japaridze, Chairman of the Girchi – More Freedom party01:20 Introducing the Guest03:17 Why politics, and why libertarianism?11:13 Did prison change him? If so, how?22:14 May 26 rally — the return of protest. What comes next? The road to victory: the opposition alliance’s vision.31:36 Why Georgian Dream no longer prioritises public opinion or popular support36:08 “In the end, we will win” — but when?43:07 Geopolitics: where is the balance of power shifting, and where does Georgia stand? Why is international pressure insufficient, and why are sanctions lagging behind?49:55 Why it is unrealistic for Georgian Dream to reset relations with the US administration in the current climate - and why greater US engagement, in any form, would benefit Georgia.