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Compiled by Etuna Tsotniashvili
Friday, February 13
Zurab Noghaideli says: the time will come when we’ll reinvestigate the death of Zurab Zhvania

Leader of the Movement for Fair Georgia Zurab Noghaideli is avoiding open cooperation with the non-Parliamentary opposition and is planning to fulfil his political plans alone, Sakartvelos Respublika writes.

It seems the “Lonely Leader” has a great deal of information about the Government’s dark affairs and is completely sure of his abilities, but society, despite long expectation, still hasn’t heard any forthright “confession” from the ex-Prime Minister. Consequently a lot of questions have not been answered… what should have been said on February 3, the day of the death of Zurab Zhvania? Why it wasn’t said then? Why is it now necessary to hold a reinvestigation?

“I didn’t say that I’d say something important or shocking, I simply announced that I’d made up my mind about this topic. Society knows perfectly well what are we claiming and what we are going to do, but my comments were somehow misunderstood. As soon as the time comes we will reinvestigate the death of Zurab Zhvania, and all the questions of his family, close friends and society will be answered,” Noghaideli said.



Government is accused of a classic lie

It isn’t a new thing for television to play the role of a political trumpet, Sakartvelos Respublika reports. Nowadays the position of the Georgian opposition is unchanging: they accuse television stations of subjectivity and lobbying for Government interests. Despite multiple opposition efforts to resolve this situation, nothing has changed and they have started seeking other solutions.

The Conservative Party has turned the opposition’s attention to the new Second Channel. The leader of the party, Zviad Zdizdiguri, has tried to accuse the Government of further deceit and says it has left the Second Channel without any function.

Society remembers that Saakashvili and Bakradze announced that there would be a reorganization of this channel, but this didn’t happen because, they said, there were not enough financial resources to effect this. It was said that donor organizations weren’t sending the money. The question is: why, therefore, is there a Reserve Fund, from which huge amounts of money are spent to no good purpose?



Equality Institute demands demilitarization of the Caucasus Region

The Equality Institute demands the demilitarization of the conflict regions in the Caucasus, including Georgia, Akhali Taoba reports. According to one of the leaders of the Equality Institute, Zurab Rtveliashvili, they also demand that the Government correctly distributes the humanitarian aid and the USD 4.5 billion that has been given to Georgia.

Speaking at a special press conference in the Hotel Tori Rtveliashvili said that they have specific plans concerning this issue. He said they will hold an international conference very soon. Rtveliashvili noted that international experts will take part in this conference.



Two Georgian Jehovah’s Witnesses expelled from Azerbaijan

Two citizens of Georgia have been expelled from Azerbaijan, Akhali Taoba writes. According to the NGO Human Rights Centre, the Azeri News Agency APA reported the detention of two Georgian citizens in the Balakan region. According to APA, they were proselytizing for the religious sect the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

According to Azeri police the detained people were residents of the Lagodekhi region, David Bekashvili, 32 and Mamuka Subuashvili, 30. Police said they had 171 books about the Jehovah’s Witnesses, printed in Germany, with them.



Irakli Alasania will present his team next week

Former Georgian Ambassador to UN Irakli Alasania will present his political team next week, Akhali Taoba reports. According to Alasania’s allies, consultations on this issue are nearing their end.

The complete membership of the former diplomat’s team is unknown as yet, however the names of some of his allies are already public. According to unofficial information, Alasania’s team will include ex-diplomat Zurab Abashidze and former Georgian Ambassador to OSCE Viktor Dolidze. Alasania has said that his team will comprise well known public figures and ex-diplomats., but has refrained from revealing their names.

The news agency Pirveli reported that Georgia’s former Ambassador to Switzerland Levan Mikeladze will also be a member of Alasania’s team. Alasania subsequently confirmed this information. Considering all the abovementioned, Alasania’s team can be called a “diplomat’s team.”