imedi /  14 December 2025, 13:06 / Reliable source

Georgia hosts Junior Eurovision 2025 with European-level quality, says Georgian Culture Minister

Photo: Ministry of Culture

Georgia successfully hosted the 2025 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, drawing an audience of around 70 million viewers worldwide, with Culture Minister Tinatin Rukhadze stating that the event showcased European-level quality and Georgia’s cultural identity.

The contest was organised by Georgia’s Ministry of Culture in cooperation with Starring Georgia and the Public Broadcaster.

France’s representativeLou Deleuze won the competition, while Georgia’s entrant, Anita Abgarian placed third with 176 points.

In her remarks, Rukhadze noted that Georgia hosted the competition with dignity and professionalism, highlighting the involvement of approximately 1,500 people in preparing the show.

“We hosted Junior Eurovision with great dignity. Today, we had an audience of 70 million. Through this show, we also conveyed the proud history of our country. Around 1,500 people were involved in preparing this event, including a creative team that was Georgian. I would like to thank the Public Broadcaster, Basa Potskhishvili, and his team, who enriched this show with Georgian elements”, she said.

The Minister expressed gratitude to the Public Broadcaster, Starring Georgia, and multiple state institutions, stating that the coordination among these actors ensured the contest was held at the highest standard.

“I would also like to thank Starring Georgia for the work carried out at the highest level. I want to thank the commission established by the Prime Minister’s decree as well. Many institutions were involved to ensure that this event of international significance was held to the highest standard. Today, we truly showed the world European-level quality”, Rukhadze concluded.

All News

Photo: X

12 July 2026, 12:39

Politics

UNESCO Director General meets Georgian Education Minister, says organisation looks forward to deepening cooperation with Georgia

UNESCO Director General Khaled El-Enany on Saturday expressed satisfaction with his meeting with Georgian Minister of Education Givi Mikanadze, announcing that the organisation looks forward to further deepening cooperation in digital transformation, green education, science, and culture to equip students and young people with future-ready skills.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

11 July 2026, 17:02

Politics

Georgian Parliament official: radicals’ actions on October 4 were prevented through active measures

Davit Matikashvili, the Chair of the Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules of the Georgian Parliament, on Saturday said that authorities had prevented a serious provocation during the October 4 events by taking active measures and discovering hidden weapons.

Photo: Imedi TV

11 July 2026, 15:20

Politics

EU Ambassador to Georgia: Aleko Elisashvili verdict falls under court’s authority

Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Saturday said that the verdict against Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the opposition Strong Georgia - Lelo, was the prerogative of the Georgian judicial system and he was not authorised to comment on it, while emphasising that freedom of assembly and speech were fundamental principles that must be respected by EU candidate countries.

Photo: Tbilisi City Hall

11 July 2026, 14:36

Politics

Georgia’s ruling party Secretary General dismisses United National Movement rebranding as “PR bluff”

Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said that any attempt to rebrand the United National Movement was inconceivable given the party’s past actions, describing it as nothing more than a public relations exercise and a bluff.

Photo: Tbilisi City Hall

11 July 2026, 14:18

Politics

Georgia’s ruling party Sec Gen: actions outside the law will face consequences

Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said that every citizen has the right to express their views and hold demonstrations, but this must be done within the limits of the law, and any violations would always be met with an appropriate response from state institutions.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

11 July 2026, 12:15

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker: radical opposition’s justification of terrorism reveals dangerous moral degradation

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday said that the radical opposition’s attempts to justify Aleko Elisashvili’s attempted terrorist act as serving “just goals” perfectly illustrate the essence of terrorism and signal a dangerous evolution that could eventually lead to justifying completed murders.

Photo: State Security Service of Georgia

10 July 2026, 22:21

Justice

Georgian State Security Service has detained wanted Georgian citizen in neutral zone between Georgia-Armenia border checkpoints in connection with October 4 case

The State Security Service of Georgia on Friday detained a wanted Georgian citizen in the neutral zone between the Georgia-Armenia border checkpoints in connection with the October 4, 2025 case, which involves allegations of organised violence, an attempted seizure of the Presidential Palace, and preparations for acts of sabotage.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

10 July 2026, 21:38

Politics

Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker highlights historic successes at ECHR and ICC amid territorial integrity challenges

Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker Giorgi Kakhiani on Friday addressed the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, highlighting Georgia’s commitment to multilateralism, state sovereignty, and the rules-based international order.

Photo: Georgian Foreign Ministry

10 July 2026, 19:08

Foreign policy

Georgian FM holds farewell meeting with Chinese Ambassador, highlights progress in bilateral relations

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Friday held a farewell meeting with Zhou Qian, the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, who is concluding his diplomatic mission in the country.

Shalva Papuashvili

10 July 2026, 17:27

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker says ALDE must force Lelo party to distance itself from terrorism

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday responded to the court verdict against opposition politician Aleko Elisashvili, saying that the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) must either force the opposition Lelo party to distance itself from terrorism or expel it from the alliance.

Photo: GettyImages

10 July 2026, 16:22

Politics

Azerbaijani President approves agreement on gas supplies to Georgia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Friday approved an agreement on gas supplies to Georgia.

Photo: Screenshot from Video

10 July 2026, 16:21

Justice

Aleksandre Elisashvili sentenced to 13 years in prison for attempted terrorist act

Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the opposition Strong Georgia - Lelo, on Friday was found guilty by the court on charges of attempting to commit a terrorist act.

Irakli Kobakhidze

10 July 2026, 15:18

Politics

Georgian PM says rivalry within UNM reflects competition among “foreign agents”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said infighting within the opposition United National Movement (UNM) reflected competition among what he described as “foreign agents”, adding that the party’s actions required a legal response beyond electoral defeat.

Photo: Government administration

10 July 2026, 15:09

Politics

Georgian PM says country outperforming EU candidates and some member states

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said Georgia is ahead not only of EU membership candidate countries but also of a number of EU member states in all directions, which is the result of the country's economic progress.

Photo: Government of Georgia

10 July 2026, 15:07

Politics

Georgian PM: Anaklia Deep Sea Port will be built with direct state involvement to best protect national interests

The Anaklia Deep Sea Port was initially planned to be developed with a single strategic partner, but the approach has changed and the port will now be built with the direct involvement of the state, said on Friday Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

Irakli Kobakhidze

10 July 2026, 14:16

Foreign policy

Georgian PM says ECHR confirms limits to expression to prevent hatred

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday welcomed a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, saying the Court had confirmed that restricting certain forms of expression could be justified when necessary to prevent hatred and aggression in a democratic society.

Photo: Georgian Dream

10 July 2026, 13:58

Politics

“OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has fallen to Joe Wilson’s level” - Georgian PM slams OSCE PA over Georgia resolution

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday criticised the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly over a recent declaration concerning Georgia, saying the organisation has “fallen to the level of Congressman Joe Wilson”.

Photo: Government Administration

10 July 2026, 13:53

Politics

Georgian PM says opposition’s “sanctions abroad, protests at home” strategy warrants legal response

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said that the opposition’s “sanctions - abroad, protests - at home” strategy reinforces the lawsuit filed with the Constitutional Court and warrants an appropriate legal response.

Photo: Shutterstock

10 July 2026, 12:26

Politics

Georgian Gov’t ranks among Europe’s top 20 for private sector-supportive governance

The Chandler Institute has published its Regulatory Governance rating as part of the Good Government Report 2026, awarding the Georgian government a high score for its governance framework and policies that support private sector development.

Levan Makhashvili

10 July 2026, 12:21

Foreign policy

Georgian Parliament official says Georgia will continue working within OSCE PA unless red lines are crossed

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Thursday said Georgia would continue participating in the work of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly despite protesting the adoption of its latest declaration, stressing the country would remain engaged as long as its “red lines” were not crossed.