Georgia-Russia Political Tensions: President Salome Zourabichvili told France’s National Assembly that Georgia’s authorities are “in the service of the Kremlin,” saying dissent and even basic public expression have been criminalized and a special internal unit monitors citizens’ posts. Protest Crackdown Rhetoric: Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze escalated the tone on Tbilisi’s ongoing street protests, comparing participants to “cult” members who gather daily without any goal or results. Belarusian Deportation Dispute: Belarusian activist Leu Mikheyev, expelled from Georgia and detained in Armenia, has been released from police custody in Yerevan; Georgia’s Interior Ministry rejected claims he was forced to sign incomprehensible documents, saying an interpreter assisted him and the process was explained. Migration Pressure from Moscow: Russia proposed cutting the maximum stay for professional truck drivers from CIS states and Georgia if they pursue EU membership, tightening entry rules from 180 days to 90 days within a calendar year. Regional Connectivity Push: Georgian diplomacy framed the South Caucasus as a connectivity system, with Kobakhidze and Pashinyan pointing to the Middle Corridor and regional peace as drivers for trade and stability. Sports & Culture: Batumi’s Art-House Film Festival is set to close, while Northern Ireland notched a historic 1-0 Nations League win away at Georgia.