Friday, October 26, 2007, #205 (1472)

Press Scanner
Prepared by Diana Dundua

“Konstantin Gamsakhurdia calls Zugdidi residents to protest”
On October 24, Liberty party leader Konstantin Gamsakhurdia and We, Ourselves opposition movement leader Paata Davitaia called on residents of Zugdidi, in western Georgia, to attend upcoming protests, according to Akhali Taoba.
In addition to the planned November 2 protest outside the Tbilisi parliament, an opposition coalition is also organizing a local Zugdidi protest on October 28.
“Megrelians [an ethnographic group of Georgians mostly living in Samegrelo province], you have played a huge role in Georgia’s history over the past 15 years. Now is the time for you to prove your courage and show support one more time. We will prove that Georgia is governed by the force that killed the first president of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia,” stated Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, the late president’s son. 
Zugdidi Cinema will show the second part of a documentary film about Zviad Gamsakhurdia on October 28.
Paata Davitaia said the opposition would not stand for the oppression and annihilation of the Georgian people.
“We will stand together and we will decide Georgia’s fate. We are the ruling force and the administration is the opposition!” Davitaia declared.

“New office of oppositional Movement for a United Georgia opens in Adjara”     
Akhali Taoba reports that the first regional office of the oppositional Movement for a United Georgia opened in Adjara on October 24.
According to party representative Eka Beselia, opening a new branch in Adjara was a logical step given the enthusiasm locals showed at the protest organized by the opposition coalition in Batumi, the largest city in Adjara, on October 23.
Beselia was once the lawyer of party founder and arrested ex-minister Irakli Okruashvili.
The regional coordination group includes the former Adjara representative of the state human rights ombudsman, as well as Vazha Gogitidze, formerly a member of Aslan Abashidze’s Adjaran Autonomous Republic government, Beselia said.
This is the first of many regional outposts for the movement, she added.

“Geocell withdraws financial backing of Geo Bar”
Leader of the NGO National Lobby Giorgi Andriadze welcomes mobile communications company Geocell’s withdrawal of financial support for the Geo Bar TV show, writes Sakartvelos Respublika.
Geo Bar—a reality show broadcast on Georgia’s popular Rustavi 2 TV channel—caused controversy recently when a contestant was dismissed after declaring that he was gay.
Andriadze claimed that the withdrawal of Geocell’s backing will force the show off-air.
“The company Geocell has realized that supporting Geo Bar has a negative influence on its own image and business interests. I believe that this TV show is a political project that runs the risk of dropping an ideological ‘bomb’ that aims to alter and degenerate traditional Georgia values,” commented Andriadze.



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