Bezhuashvili leaves for Madrid

Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili left for Madrid on November 28.

During his visit to Spain, he will address an OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting about the pre-election situation in Georgia.

Bezhuashvili told journalists he was scheduled to meet about 20 ministers whilst in the Spanish capital. (Prime-News)



Gamkrelidze to meet Georgian experts

Presidential candidate Davit Gamkrelidze held a meeting with Georgian experts as part of his election campaign on November 28.

At the meeting at his New Rights party headquarters, Gamkrelidze spoke about his presidential program, which will be shaped by expert recommendations.

Gamkrelidze met doctors and youth leaders earlier in the week. (Prime-News)



Ugulava: enough gas resources for Georgia

Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava has allayed fears concerning gas supplies to Georgia.

“There is no gas shortage in the capital,” he told journalists. “We have enough gas to supply Tbilisi and other regions.” His comments followed problems with supplies to some districts of Tbilisi on November 27.

Yesterday’s brief interruption in supply to parts of Saburtalo and Gldani smacked of sabotage, he said, adding that the police were investigating the cause. (Prime-News)



Gas supply problems “Sabotage,” KazTransGas Tbilisi says

The gas distribution company KazTransGas Tbilisi also blames the interruption in supplies to two districts of Tbilisi last night on saboteurs, company representatives told a press conference today.

Sangar Rakhmetjanov, Deputy Director-General of KazTransGas Tbilisi, said his company would be working round the clock to ensure an uninterrupted supply.

He pointed the finger at two possible culprits—people who had rigged up illegal gas pipelines to avoid paying for gas, or disgruntled former employees who had lost their jobs following staff cutbacks. (Prime-News)



NATO courses to be held in Georgia

Schoolchildren and students up and down Georgia will be able to follow the latest developments at NATO when special week-long NATO courses are held in some schools and institutions of higher education during the coming week.

The courses, which will run from November 28 to December 4, and will be supported by mini libraries provided by the embassies of NATO countries, are part of the New Generation, New Initiative scheme. (Black Sea Press)



Date of compulsory registration of refugees extended

The deadline by which all refugees have to register has been extended by a month, Koba Subeliani, the Georgian Minister for Refugees and Resettlement, announced on November 28.

About 200 000 refugees have registered so far, and there are between 30 000 and 40 000 who have yet to make themselves known to the authorities, Subeliani said. (Prime-News)



Presidential candidate Giorgi Chkhikvadze on hunger strike

Presidential candidate Giorgi Chkhikvadze has gone on hunger strike in protest at the bringing forward of the presidential elections to January 5, 2008.

Chkhikvadze called on voters to boycott the elections to demonstrate their strength of feeling against the government.

Chkhikvadze is also protesting about the fact that he has not been allowed to hold an election campaign, and that he has been allocated no free air time. (Prime News)



Saakashvili meets Abkhazian refugees

Presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili held a meeting with Abkhazian refugees at Tbilisi City Hall on November 28.

“We will work with the international community to ensure your security as soon as possible. Some of you will be able to return to Abkhazia,” Saakashvili told his audience. (Prime News)