The News in Brief
Monday, April 7
UN secretary-general releases biannual report on Abkhazia
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said the presence of UN peacekeepers in the breakaway region of Abkhazia is a guarantee for stability and essential for continuing a dialogue between the sides, in his biannual report released April 2.
He also called upon the Georgian and Abkhazian sides to implement confidence-building measures.
“Small steps and partial successes are essential to the sustainability of protracted peace processes, and the Georgian-Abkhaz process certainly qualifies as such,” the report reads.
It also mentions a February 18–19 meeting of the UN secretary-general’s Group of Friends in Geneva that discussed the situation in Abkhazia, stating that the Georgian side raised the issue of lifting sanctions on the separatist region.
At the meeting Tbilisi expressed willingness to do this, the report said, “provided that agreement was reached with the Abkhaz side on a number of issues, including modalities for the freedom of movement of people and goods, and security guarantees, including in relation to the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees.”
The secretary-general also extended the UN peacekeeping mandate in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone to October 15, 2008.
(Prime News)
Republican Party presents candidates for majoritarian MPs
The Republican Party has presented its candidates for majoritarian seats in 10 electoral districts ahead of parliamentary elections slated for May 21.
Out of a total of 150 parliamentary seats, 75 will be majoritarian and the rest elected through a party-list, proportional system.
(Prime News)
Experts to consider Saakashvili’s Abkhazia conflict initiatives
Georgian and Russian experts will hold a teleconference on President Mikheil Saakashvili’s recently announced peace initiatives for Abkhazia at the RIA Novosti press center on April 7.
Participants will include political scientists from the Carnegie Centre, Republican Party MP Ivliane Khaindrava, former ambassador of Georgia to Russia Zurab Abashidze and former Foreign Minister Irakli Menagharishvili.
(Prime News)
Opposition leaders meet Swedish foreign minister
Opposition coalition figures Kakha Kukava and Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, leaders of the united opposition, met Carl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, to discuss the current situation in Georgia.
The Conservative Party press office said they discussed upcoming parliamentary elections and establishing a dialogue with the government.
Bildt arrived on a two-day visit to Georgia on April 3.
(Prime News)
CEC rejects applications from 23 political parties
The Central Election Commission (CEC), rejected appeals of 23 parties for participation in the parliamentary elections on May 21.
The parties in question did not amass the required 30 000 signatures of support, CEC officials said.
Parties that are already represented in parliament are registered without need for signatures.
(Prime News)
One minute of cell phone airtime decreases by four tetri
The price for one minute of airtime on a cell phone will decrease by four tetri on May 1 following a decision by the National Communication Regulating Commission.
Monitoring carried out by the commission revealed that the tariff on mobile phone talk time has been artificially increased, representatives said.
(Prime News)
Ghosts frighten prosecutors in Gldani prison
Ghosts are appearing in N8 prison, which was recently built in Gldani district of Tbilisi, prominent barrister Lali Aptsiauri said in an interview with the newspaper Akhali Taoba.
It should be noted that a psychiatric clinic used to stand where the new jail is built.
“Not long ago prosecutors informed me that they come to the jail in groups because of ghosts,” the barrister said.
“I was shown a video shot on a mobile phone where the ghost of a woman appears from a wall in one of the investigation rooms,” Aptsiauri added.
The Prison Department declined to comment.
(Black Sea Press)
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said the presence of UN peacekeepers in the breakaway region of Abkhazia is a guarantee for stability and essential for continuing a dialogue between the sides, in his biannual report released April 2.
He also called upon the Georgian and Abkhazian sides to implement confidence-building measures.
“Small steps and partial successes are essential to the sustainability of protracted peace processes, and the Georgian-Abkhaz process certainly qualifies as such,” the report reads.
It also mentions a February 18–19 meeting of the UN secretary-general’s Group of Friends in Geneva that discussed the situation in Abkhazia, stating that the Georgian side raised the issue of lifting sanctions on the separatist region.
At the meeting Tbilisi expressed willingness to do this, the report said, “provided that agreement was reached with the Abkhaz side on a number of issues, including modalities for the freedom of movement of people and goods, and security guarantees, including in relation to the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees.”
The secretary-general also extended the UN peacekeeping mandate in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone to October 15, 2008.
(Prime News)
Republican Party presents candidates for majoritarian MPs
The Republican Party has presented its candidates for majoritarian seats in 10 electoral districts ahead of parliamentary elections slated for May 21.
Out of a total of 150 parliamentary seats, 75 will be majoritarian and the rest elected through a party-list, proportional system.
(Prime News)
Experts to consider Saakashvili’s Abkhazia conflict initiatives
Georgian and Russian experts will hold a teleconference on President Mikheil Saakashvili’s recently announced peace initiatives for Abkhazia at the RIA Novosti press center on April 7.
Participants will include political scientists from the Carnegie Centre, Republican Party MP Ivliane Khaindrava, former ambassador of Georgia to Russia Zurab Abashidze and former Foreign Minister Irakli Menagharishvili.
(Prime News)
Opposition leaders meet Swedish foreign minister
Opposition coalition figures Kakha Kukava and Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, leaders of the united opposition, met Carl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, to discuss the current situation in Georgia.
The Conservative Party press office said they discussed upcoming parliamentary elections and establishing a dialogue with the government.
Bildt arrived on a two-day visit to Georgia on April 3.
(Prime News)
CEC rejects applications from 23 political parties
The Central Election Commission (CEC), rejected appeals of 23 parties for participation in the parliamentary elections on May 21.
The parties in question did not amass the required 30 000 signatures of support, CEC officials said.
Parties that are already represented in parliament are registered without need for signatures.
(Prime News)
One minute of cell phone airtime decreases by four tetri
The price for one minute of airtime on a cell phone will decrease by four tetri on May 1 following a decision by the National Communication Regulating Commission.
Monitoring carried out by the commission revealed that the tariff on mobile phone talk time has been artificially increased, representatives said.
(Prime News)
Ghosts frighten prosecutors in Gldani prison
Ghosts are appearing in N8 prison, which was recently built in Gldani district of Tbilisi, prominent barrister Lali Aptsiauri said in an interview with the newspaper Akhali Taoba.
It should be noted that a psychiatric clinic used to stand where the new jail is built.
“Not long ago prosecutors informed me that they come to the jail in groups because of ghosts,” the barrister said.
“I was shown a video shot on a mobile phone where the ghost of a woman appears from a wall in one of the investigation rooms,” Aptsiauri added.
The Prison Department declined to comment.
(Black Sea Press)