The News in Brief

Botchorishvili: Georgia Has Nothing to Change

Georgian Dream Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili hit back at EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on Wednesday, asserting that Brussels, not Tbilisi, needs to adjust its stance. Responding to Kallas's claims of democratic backsliding, Botchorishvili argued that the EU is being used as an "instrument" against Georgia.

"Georgia has nothing to change," Botchorishvili told reporters, defending the government's mandate. "The people elect the Georgian government, it protects the best interests of our country and does what serves those interests in order to ensure peace, stability, and appropriate conditions for economic development."

Botchorishvili rejected the notion that Georgia has avoided engagement, stating that the government has "never refused dialogue" with the bloc. She questioned Kallas's criticism of Georgia's current trajectory, saying it is "unclear" why a focus on national interest and stability is deemed "incompatible with the European Union."

Botchorishvili concluded by shifting the responsibility for the strained relations onto European leadership. "If anyone needs to change their attitude, it is solely the current EU bureaucracy in Brussels," she stated.



SSS Detains Citizen for Spying; Two More Wanted via Interpol

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSS) has arrested a Georgian citizen on charges of espionage for a foreign power. Two other individuals identified in the investigation will be charged in absentia and have been placed on an international wanted list through Interpol. Lasha Maghradze, First Deputy Head of the SSS, reported that the arrest followed an extensive counterintelligence operation which revealed that the primary suspect was recruited by a foreign agency and operated under a pseudonym in exchange for financial compensation.

According to the investigation, the detainee was tasked with gathering sensitive information regarding the locations, capabilities, and deployment of Georgia's law enforcement and defense agencies, including the SSS, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Defense. The operative also reportedly took photos and videos of strategic infrastructure such as bridges, highways, and railway lines. The two other Georgian citizens involved are accused of carrying out similar tasks harmful to the country's interests.

The suspect faces charges under Article 314 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carries a sentence of 8 to 12 years in prison. The SSS noted that the complexity of the alleged crimes necessitated a lengthy period of investigative measures to fully document the activities of the foreign intelligence operatives and their recruits.