The News in Brief

Judicial Council Nominates Six Judges for Lifetime Supreme Court Posts

The High Council of Justice of Georgia has finalized a list of six nominees for lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court and will now submit them to parliament for confirmation. All candidates are sitting judges currently serving in lower courts.

The nominees are Tamar Alania, Dimitri Gvritishvili, Giorgi Goginashvili, Liana Kazhashvili, Davit Mamiseishvili, and Salome Samkharadze. Gvritishvili, who is also a member of the Council and chairs a chamber at the Tbilisi Court of Appeal, has been linked by critics to the "judicial clan," an influential group accused of dominating the judiciary. Alania was previously considered for the Supreme Court in 2018, when her candidacy contributed to internal divisions within the ruling party.

Other nominees have also been involved in notable cases. Goginashvili is known for ordering pretrial detention of former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava in 2014, while Kazhashvili recently handled a defamation case brought by jailed journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli against Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, dismissing it without examining the merits.

The nominations come against the backdrop of longstanding criticism of Georgia's judicial system, with opposition figures and watchdogs arguing that key decisions and appointments remain concentrated in the hands of a small group of judges.



Formula TV Broadcast Partially Suspended Over Debt Dispute

Formula TV said on May 4 that its broadcast had been temporarily suspended for part of its audience due to an unpaid debt to Stereo Plus, which distributes its free-to-air signal to viewers without cable television.

The channel said it is working to raise funds to restore full service and shared bank details for donations.

The development follows similar issues faced by TV Pirveli, which reported in March that its satellite broadcasting was halted over unpaid fees, mainly affecting viewers in regions and remote areas.

The disruptions come amid broader financial pressure on broadcasters following tighter regulations, including a ban on foreign funding introduced through amendments to the Law on Broadcasting.

In December, Transparency International Georgia said 17 regional broadcasters ceased operations in 2025 due to financial difficulties and warned that major channels such as Formula TV and TV Pirveli also face "the risk of closure."