The Messenger - Georgia's English Language Daily

Mixed results for Saakashvili in Germany

President Mikheil Saakashvili and German Chancellor Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday that Georgia will need to make progress with its separatist conflicts before it can fulfill its hopes of NATO membership. (more)

National TV station ends news broadcasts, may close

Stunned Mze employees gathered outside the station’s offices last night

National television station Mze TV is ending its news broadcasts and may shut down altogether, station management said yesterday. (more)

Elections over, police reinforce unpopular laws

Street vendors like these say they had free rein during the election campaigns

This week, police pushed out hundreds of unlicensed street vendors from a central market in Tbilisi, after months of tolerating a range of petty lawbreaking.

The end to the lenience, said vendors, shopkeepers and others affected by the crackdowns, has a simple explanation: the election campaigns are over. (more)

The News in Brief

Gazprom confirms plans for pipeline to Abkhazia. (more)

Writing fair rules for the next election

The tiny opposition in parliament and the ruling party agreed this week that a group should come together to recommend changes to Georgia’s ever-changing election law. It is a good idea, and it is good timing. (more)

Gamkrelidze most approved politician

A recent poll suggests the politics of New Rights party leader Davit Gamkrelidze, who has recently taken the wheel of the main opposition coalition, has won the most public approval. (more)

Press Scanner

“Opposition protests crackdown on street vendors”