February 18 - Prime Minister
Giorgi Gakharia resigns, citing disagreement with his party colleagues over enforcing an arrest order for Nika Melia. According to Gakharia, the detention amid the
political crisis of the opposition leader threatens further destabilization of the country.
February 22 - Parliament approves
Irakli Gharibashvili as the new Prime Minister.
February 23 - Police storms the
UNM office, where the opposition leaders and supporters have been gathered following the Court's order, and detains Nika Melia.
July 5 - Many thousands gather to oppose and obstruct the
LGBTQ pride parade. The clashes break out between the media representatives reporting the events live and protesters resulting in 53 journalists being injured. The organizers ultimately cancel the event.
July 28 - The Georgian Dream quits the agreement signed in April with the opposition, citing refusal of the "radical opposition" headed by the
United National Movement to join the deal.
August
September
October
October 1 - Former President
Mikheil Saakashvili, convicted in absentia on abuse of office charges in 2018 and sentenced to six years in prison, returns to Georgia after an eight-year exile. The
MIA initially claims that Saakashvili had not crossed the country's border but later Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili announces in a press briefing that Saakashvili has been arrested.
October 2 -
Local elections. The
Georgian Dream party scores up to 47% in the first-round proportional vote, with mayoral races in 20 cities and towns going into runoff.
October 2 - The
Public DefenderNino Lomjaria visits Saakashvili in prison and announces that Saakashvili considers himself a political prisoner and begins a hunger strike.
October 14 - Many ten thousands gather in
Freedom Square in the center of
Tbilisi demanding the release of Saakashvili.
October 30 - In tense runoff the ruling party wins 19 out of 20 mayoral races.
November
November 23 - Saakashvili ends hunger strike as a compromise with authorities to be transferred to
Gori Military Hospital for medical treatment.
December
December 30 - Parliament votes to abolish the
State Inspector's Service. Instead, separate agencies will be established to probe abuse of power by law enforcement and for personal data protection, the two functions that were previously joined under the State Inspector.