Prepared by Messenger Staff
Lithuania Sanctions 10 More Georgian Officials Over Rights and Corruption Concerns
Lithuania has expanded its sanctions list to include 10 additional Georgian officials, citing concerns over human rights abuses, corruption, and politically motivated prosecutions. The newly sanctioned individuals, who are now banned from entering Lithuania through 2030, include judges, prosecutors, members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and the head of Georgia's Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The move brings the total number of Georgian individuals barred from Lithuania to 112, as part of a broader policy targeting foreign nationals involved in what Vilnius describes as "gross violations of human rights, money laundering, or corruption." The newly sanctioned individuals include three judges from the Tbilisi City Court - Nino Galustashvili, Jvebe Nachkebia, and Irakli Shvangiradze - as well as prosecutors Mari Meshveliani, Natia Tatiashvili, and Viktor Metreveli. Also included are Sulkhan Tamazashvili, head of the Adjara government and former police chief; Georgian Dream party MPs Mariam Lashkhi and Nino Tsilosani; and Razhden Kuprashvili, the chief of Georgia's Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Lithuanian authorities have not specified which cases or actions prompted the designations, but many of those listed have played roles in controversial prosecutions of opposition figures and protesters in recent years.
Georgian Dream Delegation Visits China to Deepen Strategic Ties
A parliamentary delegation from the Georgian Dream party has visited China to strengthen bilateral relations and advance Georgia's role in the "Middle Corridor," a trade route connecting Europe and Asia. The group, which included Parliament Vice Speaker Giorgi Volski and key committee chairs, met with senior officials from the Chinese Communist Party, the National People's Congress, China's Education Ministry, and leading tech companies.
According to Georgian Dream, the visit aimed to boost cooperation in sectors such as education, agriculture, and infrastructure while emphasizing Georgia's rising importance as a regional transit hub. The party said cargo flow through the Middle Corridor has grown by 30% since 2022, and framed Georgia as a "key network node" in Eurasian trade.
"For China, strengthening relations with Georgia represents a component of developing an alternative mechanism to connect with European markets," the statement read. Volski added that Georgia's geography and infrastructure align with the revival of Silk Road-style trade.
The visit comes amid growing U.S. and EU concerns over Georgia's foreign policy direction. The recently passed U.S. MEGOBARI Act, still awaiting Senate approval, seeks to counter Chinese, Russian, and Iranian influence in Georgia and could impose sanctions on ruling party officials.
