Monday, July 30, 2007, #143 (1410)

News in Brief:

Former IM Officer and Deputy Director of Secondary School Arrested on Charges of Robbing Branch of Bank of Georgia
Two persons suspected of robbing a Bank of Georgia branch in Gldani and murdering a bank employee have been arrested and a third suspect is wanted, stated head of Tbilisi’s chief management division of the Interior Ministry Irakli Bazerashvili at a special briefing on July 26.
“Based on the evidence obtained, two members of a criminal group operating in the capital were arrested,” Bazerashvili noted.
He specified that Vasil Goshadze, former officer of the Interior Ministry and Gela Gogichaishvili, deputy director of Tbilisi secondary school no. 172 had been arrested. A suspected accomplice, Mamuka Tatinashvili, is wanted.
The bank branch was attacked on July 10 and, as a result, bank employee Zurab Malania was murdered.
The robbers stole GEL 360 000, USD 110 000, EUR 10 000 and gold worth GEL 50 000.
Bazerashvili declared that the criminals showed extreme brutality that posed a threat to the lives of many people. Three people were injured.
“The investigation revealed that the criminals researched the bank’s operation, its work schedule, as well as the route of the armored motorcar and the movement of each member of the crew for a long period,” Bazerashvili declared.
He also continued: “All three will be brought up on five charges—robbery, pre-meditated murder, attempted murder, the illegal purchase and carrying of automatic weapons and kidnapping.”
“During the investigation, three guns, three hand grenades, masks, and GEL 560 000 in stolen bills and gold were confiscated,” Bazerashvili added.
The Interior Ministry disseminated video footage of the questioning of the detainees. The arrested described the plan in details.
(Black Sea Press)

Opposition Demands to Keep Sports Academy Status
At a Friday protest demanding the Sport Academy maintain its independent status, representatives of the New Rights party and Georgia’s Way participated.
“Where are no sports, there will be no youth and no future,” Salome Zurabishvili, leader of the political party Georgia’s Way stated.
New Rights representative Mamuka Katsitadze stated that there are problems in the Sport Academy as there is in the whole educational system. 
The Georgian government decided to fold the Sport Academy into Ilia Chavchavadze University.   
(Prime News)

President of National Bank of Georgia May Resign
Behind the parliamentary scene, certain rumors have spread about the expected resignation of Roman Gotsiridze, President of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG).
Most ruling party MPs have abstained from making comments as opposed to opposition lawmakers who claim Gotsiridze has already resigned.
“Gotsiridze has never been under the full control of Saakashvili. And it is natural that his resignation is expected. The National Movement members will never consider him ‘their own’. This is a fact,” Conservative MP Zviad Dzidziguri declared.
“It is assumed that Gotsiridze will be replaced by Irakli Kovzanadze, Chair of the parliamentary Finance-Budget Committee, so that the position [president of NBG] will not be subjugated to the control of influential groups. In this way, Saakashvili will be able to retain control. It’s also possible Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli may be appointed president of the NBG,” Mamuka Katsitadze, MP of the New Rights opposition faction stated.
Rustavi 2 reports that behind the parliamentary scene, rumors have spread that Gotsiridze already filed his application for resignation and Noghaideli would replace him. According to the station, Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava will become Georgian prime minister. The TV Company also reports that Gotsiridze may be appointed within the Georgian MFA system an ambassador to a European state.
The press office of the NBG refrained from making comments on the mentioned rumors.
And Gotsiridze stated: “This is nonsense. I have not been appointed Georgian ambassador to the Czech Republic. This is a fairy tale.”
(Black Sea Press)

Thirty Pupils to Vacation in Bakuriani
Thirty pupils selected from schools in the provinces including boarding schools for the poor will vacation in Bakuriani for 12 days thanks to a program implemented by the human rights ombudsman’s office and the NGO Institute for Civil Development. 
14 and 15-year-old young people were chosen for the vacation.   
Throughout May and June, young people wrote essays on the following themes: “I tell the truth even if it harms me” and “Is friendship between a girl and a boy possible?” 30 young people won the competition.
(Prime News)



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