The News in Brief

CoE envoy: Parliamentary elections key for Georgia’s NATO bid

Georgia’s NATO bid depends on its upcoming parliamentary elections being held successfully, an official from the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe (PACE) said.

“I believe deeply that issues have been raised that are of greater importance than the issue of who will come to power after the elections,” said Matyas Eorsi, a PACE co-rapporteur who is part of a delegation in Tbilisi monitoring the pre-election situation.

“I’d like to reiterate what was said at the summit in Bucharest—it is possible for Georgia to transfer to the Membership Action Plan [the next stage of integration into the alliance] if the parliamentary elections are more democratic than the presidential elections were,” he continued.

He also said he had observed “positive signals,” but that there is a low level of public confidence in the election process.

“The political tension in Georgia has decreased, it is less than it was at the previous elections in January, but there currently is a great lack of confidence between different political players,” he said.

“Such low confidence between political parties causes voters to lose confidence,” Eorsi added.
(Black Sea Press)



Experts arrive in Tbilisi to investigate recent spy plane incident

A group of international military experts has arrived in Tbilisi to investigate the April 20 aircraft incident, in which a Georgian spy drone was downed over the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

Victor Dolidze, Georgian Ambassador to the OSCE, said the investigating team was sent by the permanent council of the OSCE.

“We raised the issue at a session of the council and demanded an investigation into the incident,” he said.
(Prime News)



Green Party mark 22nd anniversary of Chernobyl disaster

The Green Party marked the 22nd anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on April 25 by holding a peaceful protest against nuclear power plants near Rustaveli metro station.

Party representatives said the Chernobyl disaster highlighted the dangers of nuclear power.
(Prime News)



German defense delegation meets Georgian defense officials

A delegation from Germany met Georgian defense officials to discuss bilateral cooperation during a trip to Tbilisi.

The delegation met Nino Bakradze, head of the Defense Ministry’s international relations and Euro-Atlantic integration department, to discuss recent developments in Georgia’s defense sector, as well as the country’s NATO aspirations.
(Prime News)



Germany supports Georgia’s territorial integrity

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier reiterated support for Georgia’s territorial integrity after meeting acting Georgian foreign minister Davit Bakradze in Berlin.

He said Russia’s recent move to increase ties with Georgia’s separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia should not hamper efforts to peacefully resolve the conflicts.
(Prime News)



Diaspora children visit Ethnographic Museum

Diaspora Georgian children visited the Tbilisi Ethnographic Museum on April 25, at the invitation of State Minister for Diaspora Issues Iulon Gagoshidze.

The state minister accompanied the children on their trip and told them about the history of the country.

“The children were taught about almost every part of Georgia in a short period of time and seemed to be very much satisfied,” he said afterwards.
(Black Sea Press)



NDI delegation in Georgia to assess pre-election situation

A delegation from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) arrived in Georgia yesterday to asses the pre-election situation.

The delegation, funded USAID, will meet government officials and opposition figures, NGO and media representatives and officials from the Central Election Commission.

Former director general of the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry Shlomo Aviner is part of the delegation.
(Black Sea Press)