Talk Georgia

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

This is a special edition of Talk Georgia, which airs every Sunday at 22:00, where Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze answer audience questions about Georgian and regional politics.

Top Questions of the week:

Jacques

French media are reporting an alleged spy scandal between Paris and Tbilisi, claiming that France had to withdraw two intelligence officers after Georgian authorities threatened to expose them. What do you know about the case? Is it linked to Mr Ivanishvili, who is a French national?

Nana

If Georgian Dream wants to improve relations with the US administration, why does Mr Kobakhidze continue to attack Joe Wilson and suggest that Secretary Rubio is lying?

Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected]

Talk Georgia brings you weekly news updates on the key political and regional developments in Georgia. New episodes drop every Saturday at 22:00. Don’t miss out!

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

This is a special edition of Talk Georgia, which airs every Sunday at 22:00, where Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze answer audience questions about Georgian and regional politics.

Top Questions of the week:

Jacques

French media are reporting an alleged spy scandal between Paris and Tbilisi, claiming that France had to withdraw two intelligence officers after Georgian authorities threatened to expose them. What do you know about the case? Is it linked to Mr Ivanishvili, who is a French national?

Nana

If Georgian Dream wants to improve relations with the US administration, why does Mr Kobakhidze continue to attack Joe Wilson and suggest that Secretary Rubio is lying?

Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected]

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

Guest: Khatia Dekanoidze, former Education Minister of Georgia and former Chief of Ukraine’s National Police.

01:05 – Introducing the Guest

03:31 – How she came across How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa, why she decided to translate it into Georgian, and what she is translating next.

08:04 – Khatia Dekanoidze’s path to police reform in Georgia and Ukraine. Which was more difficult?

22:07 – What would she do differently if she were reforming the police and other law enforcement agencies today? And what does the Gori incident reveal about the state of the Georgian police?

33:03 – Current affairs: the alleged spy scandal and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ so-called “censorship department.” Is Ivanishvili a spin dictator, and how does he use propaganda to maintain his power?

43:26 – The Saakashvili–Melia “war of letters”: who benefits, where it is heading, and how the opposition can regain momentum and challenge Ivanishvili’s rule.

54:32 – Regional geopolitics: developments on the battlefield in Ukraine, growing U.S. and European engagement in the Caucasus, Armenia’s critical elections, Russia’s attempts to meddle, and Georgia’s place in a changing region.

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

Guest: Khatia Dekanoidze, former Education Minister of Georgia and former Chief of Ukraine’s National Police.

01:05 – Introducing the Guest

03:31 – How she came across How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa, why she decided to translate it into Georgian, and what she is translating next.

08:04 – Khatia Dekanoidze’s path to police reform in Georgia and Ukraine. Which was more difficult?

22:07 – What would she do differently if she were reforming the police and other law enforcement agencies today? And what does the Gori incident reveal about the state of the Georgian police?

33:03 – Current affairs: the alleged spy scandal and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ so-called “censorship department.” Is Ivanishvili a spin dictator, and how does he use propaganda to maintain his power?

43:26 – The Saakashvili–Melia “war of letters”: who benefits, where it is heading, and how the opposition can regain momentum and challenge Ivanishvili’s rule.

54:32 – Regional geopolitics: developments on the battlefield in Ukraine, growing U.S. and European engagement in the Caucasus, Armenia’s critical elections, Russia’s attempts to meddle, and Georgia’s place in a changing region.

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

This is a special edition of Talk Georgia, which airs every Sunday at 22:00, where Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze answer audience questions about Georgian and regional politics.

Top Questions of the week:

Lucy

I’m relatively new to Georgia. On 26 May, I had mixed feelings. In the morning, Georgia seemed almost like a theocratic state. But by the evening, seeing thousands of people in the streets calling for freedom, I started to think differently. Which side of Georgia is winning in the end?

Giorgi

The Gori incident shows that police violence is not about political affiliation. It is widespread and systemic. Do you think it could become a trigger, like the Girgvliani case or even the prison abuse footage?

Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected]

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

This is a special edition of Talk Georgia, which airs every Sunday at 22:00, where Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze answer audience questions about Georgian and regional politics.

Top Questions of the week:

Lucy

I’m relatively new to Georgia. On 26 May, I had mixed feelings. In the morning, Georgia seemed almost like a theocratic state. But by the evening, seeing thousands of people in the streets calling for freedom, I started to think differently. Which side of Georgia is winning in the end?

Giorgi

The Gori incident shows that police violence is not about political affiliation. It is widespread and systemic. Do you think it could become a trigger, like the Girgvliani case or even the prison abuse footage?

Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected]

Talk Georgia brings you weekly news updates on the key political and regional developments in Georgia. New episodes drop every Saturday at 22:00. Don’t miss out !

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgiaPLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHAREGuest: Zurab Japaridze, Chairman of the Girchi – More Freedom party01:20 Introducing the Guest03:17 Why politics, and why libertarianism?11:13 Did prison change him? If so, how?22:14 May 26 rally — the return of protest. What comes next? The road to victory: the opposition alliance’s vision.31:36 Why Georgian Dream no longer prioritises public opinion or popular support36:08 “In the end, we will win” — but when?43:07 Geopolitics: where is the balance of power shifting, and where does Georgia stand? Why is international pressure insufficient, and why are sanctions lagging behind?49:55 Why it is unrealistic for Georgian Dream to reset relations with the US administration in the current climate - and why greater US engagement, in any form, would benefit Georgia.

Support Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia

PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

Guest: Zurab Japaridze, Chairman of the Girchi – More Freedom party

01:20 Introducing the Guest

03:17 Why politics, and why libertarianism?

11:13 Did prison change him? If so, how?

22:14 May 26 rally — the return of protest. What comes next? The road to victory: the opposition alliance’s vision.

31:36 Why Georgian Dream no longer prioritises public opinion or popular support

36:08 “In the end, we will win” — but when?

43:07 Geopolitics: where is the balance of power shifting, and where does Georgia stand? Why is international pressure insufficient, and why are sanctions lagging behind?

49:55 Why it is unrealistic for Georgian Dream to reset relations with the US administration in the current climate - and why greater US engagement, in any form, would benefit Georgia.