annual Christmasepistle by Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, in which he decries global technological advancements creating "bioethical challenges", including the development of artificial intelligence.[1]
an icon of Saint Matrona of Moscow featuring her in discussion with Joseph Stalin is gifted to the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi by pro-Russian Georgian politicians, causing public protests for several days, culminating in activists throwing paint at the icon and the Patriarchate agreeing to removing the depiction of Stalin. [3]
12 January: Polish Ambassador Mariusz Maszkiewicz reveals having been verbally assaulted by Georgian diplomatic officials after having called for the closure of the Stalin Museum of Gori.[7]
14 January: a high-ranking delegation representing the Georgian Dream party visits China, leading to affirmations about the close ties between the Georgian government and the Chinese Communist Party.[8]
a Georgian civilian is detained by Russian military forces near the village of Akhmaji, close to the South Ossetian occupation line.[9]
the highly-mediatized trial of Lazare Grigoriadis, a young man arrested in March 2023 during anti-government protests, is postponed till February 26, forcing Grigoriadis to spend another month in pre-trial detention before a final verdict is granted.[10]
US Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator Richard Nephew visits Georgia to meet with parliamentary, judicial, domestic intelligence, and civil society leaders.[11]
The European Parliament adopts a resolution recommending EU executive bodies to adopt a more robust approach to tackling frozen conflicts, including in Georgia, underlining previous failures to ensure Russia's enforcement of the 2008 ceasefire agreement.[12]
Parliamentary Speaker Papuashvili asserts that the Ukrainian and Moldovan Presidents, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Maia Sandu respectively, as well as several members of the European Parliament "lied" when condemning the torture of Saakashvili.[14]
21 January: a fire causes the destruction of the National Art Gallery of Abkhazia and more than 4,000 works. The incident causes public outcry against local authorities.[15]
23 January: an eviction in Tbilisi causes widespread public outrage and protests over the use of police brutality, predatory loan practices, and the practice of eviction in winter months.[16] At least one journalist is injured during protests, another one arrested. Protests continue for several days as the authorities refuse to release student protesters.[17]
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili makes four new ambassadorial appointments to reshape the diplomatic corps in the Middle East and Asia: Paata Kalandadze to China, Zaza Kandelaki to Israel, Archil Dzuliashvili to Jordan, and Noshrevan Lomtatidze to Kuwait.[18]
Georgia and Saudi Arabia sign an agreement establishing an Intergovernmental Coordination Council.[19]
a wave of cyberattacks targets the websites of the President of Georgia and several opposition-affiliated media agencies.[20]
Georgia and Armenia sign a Declaration of Strategic Partnership[21] during a visit by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Tbilisi, a visit criticized by President Salome Zourabichvili for being held without her knowledge.[22]
26 January: EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar is denied entry in Abkhazia for a second time in six months.[23]
6 February — President Salome Zourabichvili delivers her final annual address to the Parliament, speaking about security issues and challenges to Georgian democracy and sharply criticizing the ruling Georgian Dream party.[24]
6-7 February — A series of landslides hit several areas in western Georgia, killing two in Adjara and nine in the Nergeti village, Baghdati Municipality.[25][26]
7 February — A Cameron Balloons Z-315 hot air balloon crashes near Asureti, Tetritsqaro Municipality, killing all three on board, including two aviators (a Georgian and a Pole) and a Imedi TV cameraman.[27][28]
8 February — The Parliament of Georgia approves the ruling Georgian Party's chairman Irakli Kobakhidze as the country's new prime minister and his cabinet of 12 ministers, with 84 votes to 10, 105 MPs present.[29]
