Advertise on podcast: Talk Georgia

Has Ivanishvili Been Left Alone with Putin? In this episode of Talk Georgia Question Time, Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze tackle two pressing questions from our audience: Can the US midterm elections change Washington's policy towards Georgian Dream? And is Georgia's EU integration process effectively over? The European Commission's latest Enlargement Report paints a bleak picture of Georgia's European prospects, while EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos says enlargement can no longer serve as the main framework for EU-Georgia relations. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream faces growing international isolation. Has Ivanishvili lost his potential allies in Europe and Washington? Can China or Israel offer an alternative? And what happens if the Kremlin wants greater control over Georgia - but no longer needs Ivanishvili? We also discuss the possible banning of opposition parties, changes to Georgia's electoral system, prison scandals and the growing risks to Georgia's democratic future. Questions of the week: Now that the US midterms are over, could things finally change for Georgia? Will the new balance of power in Congress put real pressure on Georgian Dream, possibly even bring tougher sanctions? Or should we stop expecting Washington to come to Georgia's rescue? The European Commission's latest report makes it sound like Georgia's EU membership prospects are all but dead, at least for now. So, is this just another setback, or have we reached the point of no return? And realistically, what would it take to reopen Georgia's path to the EU? Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected] In this episode - Audience Questions: US Midterms and Georgia's EU Future - This Week in Georgia and Beyond: US Elections, EU Report, Opposition Ban and Ivanishvili's Israeli Meeting - Trump's Midterm Defeat: What Changes in Washington? - Ivanishvili's Search for Allies: Europe, Trump and Israel - China Says Business, Not Political Protection - Alone with the Kremlin: Does Putin Still Need Ivanishvili? - Israel, Turkey and Georgia's Geopolitical Future - Can Washington Still Pressure Georgian Dream? Sanctions, Lobbying and Trump's Foreign Policy - Is Georgia's EU Integration Over? The Road Back to Europe and Georgia's Self-Inflicted Wounds #TalkGeorgia #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #BidzinaIvanishvili #Putin #Russia #EuropeanUnion #EUElargement #USMidterms #GeorgianDream #Democracy #SouthCaucasus 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

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!

Has Ivanishvili Been Left Alone with Putin? In this episode of Talk Georgia Question Time, Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze tackle two pressing questions from our audience: Can the US midterm elections change Washington's policy towards Georgian Dream? And is Georgia's EU integration process effectively over? The European Commission's latest Enlargement Report paints a bleak picture of Georgia's European prospects, while EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos says enlargement can no longer serve as the main framework for EU-Georgia relations. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream faces growing international isolation. Has Ivanishvili lost his potential allies in Europe and Washington? Can China or Israel offer an alternative? And what happens if the Kremlin wants greater control over Georgia - but no longer needs Ivanishvili? We also discuss the possible banning of opposition parties, changes to Georgia's electoral system, prison scandals and the growing risks to Georgia's democratic future. Questions of the week: Now that the US midterms are over, could things finally change for Georgia? Will the new balance of power in Congress put real pressure on Georgian Dream, possibly even bring tougher sanctions? Or should we stop expecting Washington to come to Georgia's rescue? The European Commission's latest report makes it sound like Georgia's EU membership prospects are all but dead, at least for now. So, is this just another setback, or have we reached the point of no return? And realistically, what would it take to reopen Georgia's path to the EU? Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected] In this episode - Audience Questions: US Midterms and Georgia's EU Future - This Week in Georgia and Beyond: US Elections, EU Report, Opposition Ban and Ivanishvili's Israeli Meeting - Trump's Midterm Defeat: What Changes in Washington? - Ivanishvili's Search for Allies: Europe, Trump and Israel - China Says Business, Not Political Protection - Alone with the Kremlin: Does Putin Still Need Ivanishvili? - Israel, Turkey and Georgia's Geopolitical Future - Can Washington Still Pressure Georgian Dream? Sanctions, Lobbying and Trump's Foreign Policy - Is Georgia's EU Integration Over? The Road Back to Europe and Georgia's Self-Inflicted Wounds #TalkGeorgia #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #BidzinaIvanishvili #Putin #Russia #EuropeanUnion #EUElargement #USMidterms #GeorgianDream #Democracy #SouthCaucasus 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

Nearly twenty years after Russia's 2006 wine embargo, is Georgia's wine industry once again becoming a hostage to the Russian market? In this episode of Talk Georgia, Giorgi Rukhadze sits down with Vasil Managadze, former Chairman of Georgia's National Wine Agency and founder of Only Good Wines, to discuss how Georgian Dream's policies have reshaped the wine industry, increased its dependence on state subsidies and the Russian market, and raised serious questions about the future of Georgian winemaking. Having helped steer the industry through Russia's 2006 wine embargo, Managadze argues that Georgia has squandered an opportunity to build a competitive, high-quality, internationally oriented wine industry. In this episode: * The 2026 grape harvest and the controversy over grape prices * Why the government is buying more than half the country's grape harvest * State subsidies, market distortions and who really benefits* How dependence on Russia affects Georgian wine quality and export prices * Russia's latest restrictions on Georgian wine companies - and the possible political and commercial motives behind them * Why Managadze believes Georgian winemakers should leave the Russian market while they still can * Three reforms needed to secure the future of Georgian wine #TalkGeorgia #GeorgianWine #Georgia #Russia #GeorgianDream #VasilManagadze #WineIndustry #GeorgianPolitics #WineExports #GeorgianEconomy #WineBusiness #RussianMarket #StateSubsidies #SouthCaucasus #GiorgiRukhadze 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

Nearly twenty years after Russia's 2006 wine embargo, is Georgia's wine industry once again becoming a hostage to the Russian market? In this episode of Talk Georgia, Giorgi Rukhadze sits down with Vasil Managadze, former Chairman of Georgia's National Wine Agency and founder of Only Good Wines, to discuss how Georgian Dream's policies have reshaped the wine industry, increased its dependence on state subsidies and the Russian market, and raised serious questions about the future of Georgian winemaking. Having helped steer the industry through Russia's 2006 wine embargo, Managadze argues that Georgia has squandered an opportunity to build a competitive, high-quality, internationally oriented wine industry. In this episode: * The 2026 grape harvest and the controversy over grape prices * Why the government is buying more than half the country's grape harvest * State subsidies, market distortions and who really benefits* How dependence on Russia affects Georgian wine quality and export prices * Russia's latest restrictions on Georgian wine companies - and the possible political and commercial motives behind them * Why Managadze believes Georgian winemakers should leave the Russian market while they still can * Three reforms needed to secure the future of Georgian wine #TalkGeorgia #GeorgianWine #Georgia #Russia #GeorgianDream #VasilManagadze #WineIndustry #GeorgianPolitics #WineExports #GeorgianEconomy #WineBusiness #RussianMarket #StateSubsidies #SouthCaucasus #GiorgiRukhadze 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

What happens when Georgian Dream bans the country's main opposition parties? Will Ivanishvili stop there, or could political repression extend to individuals, businesses, journalists and civil society? In this episode of Talk Georgia Question Time, Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze discuss Georgia's deepening political crisis, the opposition's new protest campaign, the limits of Western pressure and the prospect of a Russian or Belarusian-style authoritarian system. Questions of the week: When Georgian Dream bans the main opposition parties, what happens next? Can the opposition realistically challenge Ivanishvili through protests alone, or will it need a completely new strategy? What are these tax breaks for international gambling tournaments all about? Isn’t Georgian Dream worried about upsetting the Church? And who do you think is really behind all this? Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected] #TalkGeorgia #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #GeorgianDream #Ivanishvili #Democracy #SouthCaucasus #NodarKharshiladze #GiorgiRukhadze 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

What happens when Georgian Dream bans the country's main opposition parties? Will Ivanishvili stop there, or could political repression extend to individuals, businesses, journalists and civil society? In this episode of Talk Georgia Question Time, Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze discuss Georgia's deepening political crisis, the opposition's new protest campaign, the limits of Western pressure and the prospect of a Russian or Belarusian-style authoritarian system. Questions of the week: When Georgian Dream bans the main opposition parties, what happens next? Can the opposition realistically challenge Ivanishvili through protests alone, or will it need a completely new strategy? What are these tax breaks for international gambling tournaments all about? Isn’t Georgian Dream worried about upsetting the Church? And who do you think is really behind all this? Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected] #TalkGeorgia #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #GeorgianDream #Ivanishvili #Democracy #SouthCaucasus #NodarKharshiladze #GiorgiRukhadze 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

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!

Does Ivanishvili Need to Control Young Minds to Build a One-Party State? In this episode of Talk Georgia, Giorgi Rukhadze sits down with Simon Janashia, leading education expert, researcher, civic activist and co-founder of the Freedom Square party, to explore the connection between proposed opposition party bans, growing political control over schools and universities and the future of Georgia’s younger generation. They also examine why Georgia’s opposition has struggled to bring about political change, what makes Freedom Square different and how the party proposes to challenge Georgian Dream’s grip on power and restore democratic competition. In this Episode: 00:00:00 – Highlights: Ivanishvili’s Power, Party Bans and Georgia’s Future 00:00:57 – Introduction: Simon Janashia's background 00:03:22 – Why Does the GD Want to Ban Opposition Parties? 00:09:06 – What Could Make Ivanishvili Change Course? 00:17:17 – Freedom Square: Why Simon Janashia Entered Politics 00:30:34 – Why Has Georgia’s Opposition Failed to Deliver Change? 00:42:39 – Education Reform or Political Takeover? 00:58:37 – Is Georgian Dream Trying to Reshape the Next Generation? 01:06:35 – What Must Change After Georgian Dream? 01:13:02 – Can Free and Fair Elections Unite a Divided Society? #TalkGeorgia #SimonJanashia #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #GeorgianDream #Ivanishvili #FreedomSquare #OnePartyState #Democracy #DemocraticBacksliding #PoliticalRepression #EducationReform #EducationInGeorgia #UniversityAutonomy #AcademicFreedom #PoliticalPluralism #GeorgianOpposition #YouthAndPolitics #GeorgiaEU #SouthCaucasusSupport Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

Does Ivanishvili Need to Control Young Minds to Build a One-Party State? In this episode of Talk Georgia, Giorgi Rukhadze sits down with Simon Janashia, leading education expert, researcher, civic activist and co-founder of the Freedom Square party, to explore the connection between proposed opposition party bans, growing political control over schools and universities and the future of Georgia’s younger generation. They also examine why Georgia’s opposition has struggled to bring about political change, what makes Freedom Square different and how the party proposes to challenge Georgian Dream’s grip on power and restore democratic competition. In this Episode: - Why Is Ivanishvili Trying to Ban Opposition Parties? - Can Georgian Dream Still Be Forced to Change Course? - Freedom Square: Why Simon Janashia Entered Politics - Why Georgia’s Opposition Has Failed to Deliver Political Change - Education Reform or Destruction? Why Georgian Dream Is Targeting Schools and Universities - Is Ivanishvili Trying to Reshape Georgia’s Next Generation? - Why Georgia’s Young People Are Leaving - What Will It Take to Rebuild Georgia’s Democracy? #TalkGeorgia #SimonJanashia #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #GeorgianDream #Ivanishvili #FreedomSquare #OnePartyState #Democracy #DemocraticBacksliding #PoliticalRepression #EducationReform #EducationInGeorgia #UniversityAutonomy #AcademicFreedom #PoliticalPluralism #GeorgianOpposition #YouthAndPolitics #GeorgiaEU #SouthCaucasusSupport Talk Georgia by subscribing on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/TalkGeorgia or donating at https://buymeacoffee.com/talkgeorgia PLEASE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE ❤️ LIKE 💬 COMMENT 📣 SHARE

Georgia's Constitutional Court is hearing Georgian Dream's case to ban five opposition parties. Could this mark a decisive turning point in Georgia's political future? And can the international community still do anything to prevent it? In this episode of Talk Georgia Question Time, Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze discuss the party-ban proceedings, Georgian Dream's renewed diplomatic engagement with Moscow, the arrests of journalists and disturbing allegations emerging from Georgia's prisons. The questions of the week: The Constitutional Court hearings look like a circus, and an opposition party ban seems only a matter of time. At the same time, Georgian Dream is renewing diplomatic contacts with Moscow. Are these developments connected? And can anything still be done to stop Georgia turning into a legal dictatorship? Journalists are being arrested for what they say or write, while strange things are happening inside Georgia's prisons. Is this simply a criminal feud or is there something bigger going on? And what does all this tell us about who's really in control? Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected] #TalkGeorgia #QuestionTime #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #GeorgianDream #OppositionBan #ConstitutionalCourt #BidzinaIvanishvili #GeorgiaEU #EuropeanUnion #Democracy #PoliticalRepression #GeorgiaRussia #Russia #RuleOfLaw #SouthCaucasus #NodarKharshiladze #GiorgiRukhadze 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

Georgia's Constitutional Court is hearing Georgian Dream's case to ban five opposition parties. Could this mark a decisive turning point in Georgia's political future? And can the international community still do anything to prevent it? In this episode of Talk Georgia Question Time, Giorgi Rukhadze and Nodar Kharshiladze discuss the party-ban proceedings, Georgian Dream's renewed diplomatic engagement with Moscow, the arrests of journalists and disturbing allegations emerging from Georgia's prisons. The questions of the week: The Constitutional Court hearings look like a circus, and an opposition party ban seems only a matter of time. At the same time, Georgian Dream is renewing diplomatic contacts with Moscow. Are these developments connected? And can anything still be done to stop Georgia turning into  a legal dictatorship? Journalists are being arrested for what they say or write, while strange things are happening inside Georgia's prisons. Is this simply a criminal feud or is there something bigger going on? And what does all this tell us about who's really in control? Please send your questions for the next show to [email protected] #TalkGeorgia #QuestionTime #Georgia #GeorgianPolitics #GeorgianDream #OppositionBan #ConstitutionalCourt #BidzinaIvanishvili #GeorgiaEU #EuropeanUnion #Democracy #PoliticalRepression #GeorgiaRussia #Russia #RuleOfLaw #SouthCaucasus #NodarKharshiladze #GiorgiRukhadze 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

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!

Who is Mzia Amaglobeli beyond the headlines, international awards and political controversy? In this episode of Talk Georgia, Giorgi Rukhadze speaks with Irma Dimitradze, Mzia’s close friend and a journalist at Batumelebi and Netgazeti, to explore the woman behind the headlines: her life, personality and principles, what really happened on the night of her arrest in Batumi, and the physical and emotional toll of imprisonment. The conversation also examines why Mzia and her independent newsrooms became targets, the personal and political dimensions of her case, the impact of international recognition, and what the future may hold for a journalist who has become a symbol of Georgia’s struggle for democracy and freedom. #TalkGeorgia #MziaAmaglobeli #IrmaDimitradze #GiorgiRukhadze #Georgia #FreeMzia #PressFreedom #MediaFreedom #FreeSpeech #IndependentJournalism #PoliticalPrisoners #GeorgiaProtests #GeorgiaDemocracy #HumanRights #Batumelebi #Netgazeti 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

Who is Mzia Amaglobeli beyond the headlines, international awards and political controversy? In this episode of Talk Georgia, Giorgi Rukhadze speaks with Irma Dimitradze, Mzia’s close friend and a journalist at Batumelebi and Netgazeti, to explore the woman behind the headlines: her life, personality and principles, what really happened on the night of her arrest in Batumi, and the physical and emotional toll of imprisonment. The conversation also examines why Mzia and her independent newsrooms became targets, the personal and political dimensions of her case, the impact of international recognition, and what the future may hold for a journalist who has become a symbol of Georgia’s struggle for democracy and freedom. #TalkGeorgia #MziaAmaglobeli #IrmaDemetradze #GiorgiRukhadze #Georgia #FreeMzia #PressFreedom #MediaFreedom #FreeSpeech #IndependentJournalism #PoliticalPrisoners #GeorgiaProtests #GeorgiaDemocracy #HumanRights #Batumelebi #Netgazeti 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