Georgia: Freedom Square led by Levan Tsutskiridze is transforming into a political party. Last weekend they held a large conference attended by around 800. Amidst the disintegrating and decapitated opposition, Tsutskiridze convinced everyone only protests is not enough. oc-media.org/amidst-state...

Good illustration of how drastic the rampage is. I'd quibble with "government critical" -- rather: "insisting on academic freedom."

This is a criminal attempt at destruction and silencing of knowledge. And it’s very intentional, in light of the leading role Georgian academics and students have played in protests against authoritarian rule

Talked this week with two persons highly knowledgable about, and with considerable personal experience of, Georgia. Both said they could not work out Georgian Dream's reasoning for such counterproductive from the POV of its own interests, antagonistic moves. "nihilistic totalitarianism" seems apt.

in another entirely illegal move, the nihilistic totalitarianism of the Georgian Dream continues its rampage, here against #Georgia's most successful research university. Yes, it is a regime, and yes, this is illegal and totally illegitimate. open.substack.com/pub/ganatleb...

Apt contrast between poor woman sitting & eating from container, freezing night, inside TBC ATM place <=> the $150k luxury SUVs idling, just around the corner, in/at BI's 5 star Freedom Square building & hotel. #Georgia

The beautiful Georgian word for snow ❄️ in snow: tovli. Saburtalo today.

A truly Kafkaesque trial, with the intent to harm and repress but next to no substance, vague charges and random items such as "evidence, the prosecution has submitted records of viewing Zelenskyy’s website and Arakhamia’s website." #Georgia

In a normal country, minister in charge would resign. But cabinet is accountable only to one man, not to the people of #Georgia. This whim has passed, but others are still upon us & who knows what's to come. (The minister, too, let's recall, previously was less than straight about his doctorate.)

Just in: Following mass and unprecedented protests from academia, Georgian Dream has decided to retract its decision to merge Tbilisi State University and Georgian Technical University, the country’s two oldest state universities. 1/

It's a grim time in #Georgia & all the more remarkable that people step forward to reclaim the country's future, both across civil society and with Tavisuplebis Moedani / Freedom Square convening. Sensible focus on presenting a credible alternative & showing that country can do much better.

Evocative update, great voice, on Tsalenjikha & trying to hold it together. #Georgia

there is something darkly comic that after talking about "Second Front" for years, the strategic mastermind of Kobakhidze opened one up himself by his vicious attack on TSU/ GTU. Now GTU leadership highlights nasty distortions & falsehoods on Rustavi & Imedi ganatleba.substack.com/p/from-loyal...

Happy to recommend this, too!!!

why is Tulsi Gabbard investigating the wrong #Georgia -- quite the read from the Georgia in the Caucasus www.thebulwark.com/p/why-is-tul...

I kind of feel sorry for Lasha. If meeting went badly because of all the GD craziness, he'll be dressed down for not delivering though he anyway couldn't. If it actually went *well*, he'll likely soon be suspected of fraternizing w the Deep State, as happened to several previous emissaries.

Quite a few other contexts this can apply to.

Even self-described supporters /მხარდამჭერები /mkhardamjerebi of Bidzina Ivanishvili are appealing for international attention to stop the destructive rampage that the Prime Minister is on. The full letter -- previously mentioned -- in this post. open.substack.com/pub/ganatleb...

Illustration of how GD's current rampage causes discontent even among their own -- here a letter to Bidzina Ivanishvili, groveling but highly critical of the education restructuring. gtu.ge/en/News/?ELE...

A little puzzled people say "how does this make sense?" about newest ultra repressive laws in #Georgia, when the evidence that this clique is on a paranoid rampage in all directions (now businesses & even their own) is so abundantly clear. This will continue to escalate, too.

Usually one complains about headlines -- and then there are cases where they sum it up exceptionally well. Here is one great summary! Very well done, @ocmedia.bsky.social oc-media.org/georgias-ene...

This letter is collecting more signatures! #FreeBahruz He is truly a very good guy & shouldn't be locked up. #Azerbaijan freebahruzcampaign.org/news/zizek-s...

Why the critical battle is even more about attention than it is about freedom -- excellent piece with lots of practical advice by a good friend, must-must read if you're interested in #Georgia. #lossi36 lossi36.com/2026/01/25/t...

Add to this, already largely displaced from most people's mind, the death (most likely suicide) of Gogoberishvili, the prison director, three months ago. GD is taking a terrible toll -- even on their own people. #Georgia

Georgian word of the day ხიბლი (khibli) - charm. Easily rememberable word because it lines up w enchanting "Studio Ghibli", the landmark Japanese filmmaker. (Though using Georgian themes in some films, the studio is actually named after an Italian plane, but that story is charming, too.)

policy brief on the restructuring of higher education, by Simon Janashia, who knows the system better than probably anyone else, as he's worked in the field for 25 years in various capacities #Georgia ganatleba.substack.com/p/policy-not...

if you want do ONE practical thing today in response to all that is is unfolding, get Proton Mail/suite today, to reduce your exposure to/dependence on Gmail. Yes, the docs are more clunky but still. There are a lot of other steps, but this is one that is both easy (5 minutes) & sensible. #Proton

"A petulant, violent and deranged individual is running the United States." (And no, not planning to visit that place.)

ahead of important public discussion at @dgap.org, w @daadworldwide.bsky.social & DGO, this warning is well worth reading (also for some of the limitations). #Georgia "The End of the Tbilisi Hub -- A Warning to International Academics from the DAAD Report" open.substack.com/pub/ganatleb...

This assessment comes from extremely experienced lawyers -- abuse of process in the case of Mzia Amaghlobeli. #Georgia

my FB feed is *packed* w Georgian pro-democracy people discussing foreign policy issues thousands of kilometers away. If history of defeat of pro-democracy forces will be written (sadly, a real prospect), will in good part be... (Greenland, Moldova, Iran, and and and)

small bit of good news.

Tradition for #Georgia 's "Old New Year" -- write a wish, burn and drop it in your glass of sparkling wine. May good people everywhere prevail. Celebrating with old & be friends at Zazanova. #Tbilisi

📺 The video of the insightful conversation we had with @irmadimitradze.bsky.social from @netgazeti.org and @hansgutbrod.bsky.social on the social, political and media situation in 🇬🇪 #Georgia is now available! 👉 Check it out: voxeurop.eu/en/event/liv... #FreeMzia #GeorgiaProtests

Today we gathered in front of the women’s prison in Rustavi, where Mzia has been held hostage for a year. It still feels surreal that all of this is really happening, and yet here we are, doing everything we can, and we will keep fighting until the end. I just miss her so, so much. #FreeMzia

Stephen Jones, after his letter urging GD to desist, on why the "reorganization of Georgia’s university life is a hazardous proposition." #highereducation #Georgia ganatleba.substack.com/p/stephen-jo...

the amount of time that the bubble in Georgia spends on Venezuela, instead of things that actually matter at home, and that they could actually work on.

Great to see four (!!) Georgian wines at Jacques, a mainstream German retailer, yesterday. The #Saperavi bottle is single best selling bottle of red in the store, the salesman said. He laughed & confirmed it was Georgians who bought it as gift. And why not? It brings Georgian #wine to more ppl.

The documentary film on Mitrophan #Laghidze 's legendary lemonade just had its German premiere in Munich, director Stefan Tolz on left, very worthwhile film still visible on @artefr.bsky.social for a few days. #Georgia

Good decision. Adapting to situation flexibly is sensible.

You could get annoyed about detritus left after NY's eve, and I still do, but then decided to clean up one landmark spot today. Sure enough, once you start a few others help a bit, too. Before & all we collected after, took 25 minutes & if you're fast good small workout, too. Happy New Year !

Probably the most engaging #opera I ever watched -- La Fest by Eric Gauthier, baroque music & stunning modern dance, 5th time I went to see it, saw the premiere & now the last time it was staged, to standing ovation. Happy New Year to everyone.

For over a year, I've been collecting photos of dogs frequenting Georgia's daily protests. I've put together a newsletter on them: Read it here: oc-media.org/fighting-for... You can subscribe to our newsletters here: oc-media.org/newsletters/

Education restructuring is one of the main things that will happen in #Georgia in 2026 -- possibly with generational impact. We created a site that will track this. Find key analysis, commentary, letters & petitions all there are ganatleba.substack.com #education #highereducation

On how the assault on higher Ed risks isolating #Georgia, by good people on the inside of the system. neweasterneurope.eu/2025/12/23/f...

If Liluashvili can be arrested (& not on bail), dozens of other GD people must wonder whether they could be next. As Liluashvili recruited from his own networks, this is a massive incision into the power structures, too. #Georgia

Tomorrow, with @irmadimitradze.bsky.social & @gpaccardo.bsky.social & the great @voxeurop.bsky.social ! #Georgia.

Truly enchanting St Lucia event yesterday at the Catholic church in Old Town #Tbilisi. Do put the sound on. #Sweden #StLucia 1/3

Georgian word of the day მდგრადად / mdgradad “stably”, "reliably" or even "sustainably" in some contexts. I love the sound of that adverbial form, it's memorable tongue gymnastics.

clear position from university rectors across various European countries -- they are deeply skeptical of restructuring that is being proposed in #Georgia. The regime will continue to claim otherwise, but what they are doing is wanton destruction. www.tiflis24.de/en/post/euro...