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Compiled by Eter Tsotniashvili
Monday, July 21
“National Movement MP is accused of raping Ukrainian businesswoman”

Rezonansi reports on a rape allegation:

“MP of Adjaran supreme council Murman Lebanidze made a scandalous statement in Batumi, accusing his colleague from National Movement Malkhaz Kalandadze of raping a woman.

‘On July 14, 2008 a member of the Ukrainian Rada [parliament] contacted me and told me that on July 5, 2008 Ukrainian citizen Natalie Zavalko, who is an infrastructure specialist, visited Georgia in order to develop her business and learn more about the Georgian tourist infrastructure in Batumi. She contacted some high officials of Adjara including Malzhaz Kalandadze,’ Lebanidze said.

He said Zovalko was staying at Kalandadze’s hotel in Sarpi where Kalandadze raped the woman on July 8.

Lebanidze says that a criminal case has been brought against Kalandadze.”



“Russia should recognize Abkhazia before Sochi Olympics”

Akhali Taoba reports that an Abkhaz separatist official has said Russia should recognize the breakaway region before the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi:

“De facto Abkhaz foreign minister Sergey Shamba says that Russia should recognize Abkhazia’s independence before the Sochi Olympics.

‘We are ready to make an agreement on security cooperation with Russia in order for Russia to have the right to deploy peacekeepers without any problem in our territory to deter provocations.

‘If it does not happen Georgia will try to disrupt the Olympic Games,’ Shamba says.”



“Davit Bakradze does not expect support document from UN session”

Alia reports the Parliamentary Speaker’s comments on Georgia’s expectations for today’s UN session:

“Georgian Parliamentary Speaker Davit Bakradze says the UN session planned for July 21 is ‘very important’ but that Georgia does not expect to get a supporting document from this session because Russia will not allow the acceptance of such a document.

‘I cannot tell you what the results of the session will be but Russia, as a member of UN security council, has a veto right and that’s why we don’t expect any document. On the other hand this session is very important because the members of the council openly protest Russia’s aggression,’ Bakradze said.”