Prepared by Messenger Staff
Four Workers Killed in Construction Accident on Kvesheti Kobi Road Project
Four construction workers were killed and another was hospitalized after a suspected ground failure at a retaining wall site near the village of Tskere on the Kvesheti Kobi section of the North South Corridor. The Roads Department confirmed the incident on November 23 and said the victims were citizens of Turkmenistan and China.
The agency stated that an investigation is underway and called on the contractor to strengthen adherence to safety rules and ensure full compliance with construction regulations.
A doctor at Tbilisi Central Hospital said the surviving worker remains in intensive care. According to the medical team, there are no indications of head, chest or abdominal trauma.
Work on the Kvesheti Kobi highway began in 2019 with an initial completion target of 2023. The project is financed by the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and is overseen by UBM International. A nine kilometer tunnel built by the China Railway Tunnel Group was finished in 2024, while other sections are being constructed by the China Railway 23rd Bureau Group.
Critics of the Georgian Dream government, including the CSO Civic Idea, have repeatedly raised concerns about the involvement of Chinese state linked firms in major infrastructure projects. Their warnings cite corruption cases, workplace safety issues and environmental and security risks associated with these companies abroad.
GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze visited the site in September and said the highway should be ready in roughly a year and a half. He stated that the completed route will improve year round access to the Kazbegi region.
Kobakhidze Meets Pope Leo XIV During Official Visit to the Vatican
Irakli Kobakhidze led a delegation of Georgian Dream officials to Vatican City on November 24, where they held an official audience with Pope Leo XIV. The trip marked Kobakhidze's first visit to the Holy See since taking office.
The delegation included Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, Culture Minister Tinatin Rukhadze, Government Administration Head Levan Zhorzholiani and Georgia's Ambassador to the Holy See, David Mekvabishvili.
According to a government statement, Kobakhidze said the discussion with Pope Leo XIV was constructive and highlighted the importance of the Vatican's continued support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He added that they also reviewed current developments in Georgia and broader global issues, including questions related to Christian values.
Kobakhidze invited the Pope to visit Georgia, noting that the country will celebrate the 1700th anniversary of its Christianization in 2026 and that such a trip would carry special significance. He also held a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State.
The government said the talks underscored the positive relationship between Georgia and the Holy See and expressed confidence that cooperation would deepen further.
TI Georgia Reports 4.1 Million GEL in Donations to Georgian Dream in September
Transparency International Georgia says 124 individuals contributed a total of 4.1 million GEL to the Georgian Dream party in September.
The organization noted that construction firms were especially prominent among the businesses linked to donors that month. According to its findings, these companies have secured state procurement contracts worth 2.49 billion GEL over the past decade and 581 million GEL in 2024 and 2025.
"Construction companies, which win the largest tenders for state procurement, are particularly prevalent. They have won tenders worth 2.49 billion GEL in the last 10 years and 581 million in 2024 to 2025. Twelve donors affiliated with these companies donated 570,000 GEL to Georgian Dream," the watchdog stated.
TI Georgia encouraged the public to review detailed information on the donations, the business interests of donors and their involvement in state tenders on its website, saying, "For more information about donations, as well as information about the donors' business interests and their participation in state procurements, please visit our website politicaldonations.ge."
