The Kartuli Brief — 2026-09-23 | Sakartvelo Intelligence

საქართველო · ერთობა · ძალა · თავისუფლება

Sovereignty Threat Level

Elevated EU accession suspended · Protest cycle ongoing · Russian pressure steady

Lead

Far-Right Group Rallies Against Eagle Hills, Launches Movement to ‘Protect Georgian Lands’

Crowds led by the far-right Conservative Movement/Alt-Info group rallied again on September 20 against the controversial UAE-based Eagle Hills investment and its planned large-scale development projects near Batumi and Tbilisi. The rally, billed by organizers as a “rally against Arab towns,” took place at Tbilisi’s Liberty Square, with participants filling a section of the square …

Sources: Civil.ge

Caucasus

Audit Office Studies Popular Seminar Project After GD Suspects CoE Funding In Breach of Grants Law

Georgia’s State Audit Office started studying the funding of the Tbilisi School of Political Studies, a popular seminar project running since 1999, over a possible breach of Georgian grant laws, after pro-government media and Georgian Dream officials suggested that the Council of Europe may be funding the project by bypassing the law requiring government approval …

Civil.ge

"A nation with a populace that is overwhelmingly pro-Western ruled by a government that has frozen that integration—the Sakartvelo Paradox defines the crisis."

— Sakartvelo Unveiled Analysis

GEL/USD

2.61

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GEL/EUR

2.99

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Mid. Corridor TEU

—

YoY

Tourism YTD

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FDI

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Protest Index

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Active

Domestic Politics

Three years after Georgia’s NGO restrictions, what’s left of civil society?

While the sector is in crisis as more and more organisations shut down, three years of restrictions have not yet erased Georgia’s civil society.

OC Media

Western Response

Georgian who leaked footage showing police violence sentenced to 17 years under drug charges

Giorgi Kvitsaridze’s mother shared the footage with the media in June 2026, sparking outrage.

OC Media

Economy

Iran becomes third biggest destination for Georgia's vehicle exports

Georgia exported 7,360 vehicles to Iran in the first half of 2026 — compared to just 10 last year.

OC Media

Regional Intelligence

Ingush men reportedly tortured by Russian police after extradition from Turkey

The men were handed over at the request of the Russian authorities, bypassing the standard migration and judicial procedure.

OC Media

Yerevan among busiest Russian polling stations abroad

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova noted that Yerevan was very active, not acknowledging the protest held at the embassy.

OC Media

Assessment & Data

Sovereignty Indicators

EU Accession Status Frozen

NATO MAP Progress Stalled

Press Freedom (RSF) Declining

Foreign Agent Law Enacted

Civil Society Space Narrowing

Public EU Support ~80%

Week Ahead

European Parliament plenary to debate Georgia resolution on Wednesday. Georgian National Bank inflation data due Thursday. Opposition rally planned Saturday in Tbilisi's Freedom Square. Bidzina Ivanishvili expected to address GD party congress. OSCE monitoring mission report on media freedom scheduled for release.

Compiled from multiple sources