The News in Brief
Wednesday, February 25
President opens cultural centre in Dusheti
The Georgian President talked about new road surfacing technologies with the residents of Dusheti region yesterday. Mikheil Saakashvili opened the reconstructed cultural centre in Dusheti and presented a new road sector being constructed with these new technologies with the Chair of the Highways Department, Ramaz Nikolaishvili.
The President said the new road would connect many villages with the regional centre and improve trade relations and transportation with remote settlements. “There will be no village in Georgia without very good roads when the term of my Presidency expires,” Saakashvili said. (Rustavi 2)
German Ambassador opens kindergarten and schools in Shida Kartli
German Ambassador to Georgia Patricia Flor has visited the Shida Kartli Region. In the area damaged during the Russian intervention the European diplomat opened a reconstructed kindergarten and two schools.
Funds for the reconstruction of these schools were allocated by the German Foreign Ministry. Germany has also financed school repairs in the villages of Akhaldaba, Sakasheti and Shindisi. (Rustavi 2)
Christian Democrats’ seek prison reform
The Christian Democrats are seeking to reinstitute the practice of longer prison visits. Magda Anikashvili voiced this initiative at a briefing held yesterday.
The party is demanding that all prison visits should be increased in length and remarked that not only immediate family members but other close relatives should be given the right to see their imprisoned kinsfolk. Magda Anikashvli specified that short visits should not exceed 1 hour and longer visits from family members should be held in a special room without attending administration and last 72 hours.
The Christian Democrats will introduce their initiative to the Minister of Penitentiary, Probationary Affairs and Legal Assistance in the near future. (Interpressnews)
Sozar Subari gives PM three recommendations
Sozar Subari, the Public Defender of Georgia, has given the Prime Minister of Georgia three recommendations. He made these public at a press conference held yesterday.
Firstly, to defend the human rights of people affected by the war, the Government should subsidize the electricity of people living in the so-called buffer zones until the harvest. Secondly, Subari recommends establishing a special commission to study the social conditions of the people living in these villages. Lastly, the Public Defender recommends that this commission clear and cover the bank debts of people affected by the war in Shida Kartli. (Interpressnews)
Grigol Vashadze receives Italian Ambassador
The Press Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia reports that on 24 February Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy to Georgia Vittorio Sandalli.
At their meeting the sides discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, the latest developments in Georgia and other issues. Particular attention was paid to the official visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Senator Alfredo Mantica, to Georgia which is scheduled for 3-5 March 2009. (Interpressnews)
Radio Stations accept Re-Action idea
Georgian radio stations have responded to an idea suggested by the internet group Re-Action, which urged broadcasters not to broadcast Russian on the day of the Russian invasion of Georgia in 1921, February 25.
The members of www.forum.ge called upon TV and Radio stations not to air Russian songs, videos or movies with Russian translations as a protest against the Russian occupation of Georgia. Representatives of radio stations say they will join the protest, however, this will not be a protest against Russian culture, but the leaders of the country which invaded Georgia in 1921 and occupied Georgia territories in 2008. (Rustavi 2)
Police arrest taxi robbers
Police have arrested a gang of criminals who robbed taxis in Tbilisi, Nodar Esartia, Boris Esartia, Nika Makhatadze, and Davit Kubaneishvili. The items they stole have already been recovered.
An investigation has been initiated under Article 179 sub-paragraph b of part II, 353 and 186 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. Officers of the Isani-Samgori district police division of the Ministry of Interior are conducting it. (Rustavi 2)
Academic’s murder to be sent to Strasbourg court
The case of the murder of Guram Sharadze, a Georgian academic, writer and politician, will be sent to the European Court of Human Rights, his daughter Rusudan Sharadze announced at a briefing yesterday. Rusudan Sharadze held the briefing with representatives of the Human Rights Centre NGO and lawyer Gela Nikoleishvili.
The Centre has conducted an independent investigation into this murder and found that the Georgian court’s ruling is incompatible with the facts and evidence it has uncovered. Gela Nikoleishvili said he would hand over the materials obtained by the independent investigation and subsequently send them to Strasbourg. (Rustavi 2)
The Georgian President talked about new road surfacing technologies with the residents of Dusheti region yesterday. Mikheil Saakashvili opened the reconstructed cultural centre in Dusheti and presented a new road sector being constructed with these new technologies with the Chair of the Highways Department, Ramaz Nikolaishvili.
The President said the new road would connect many villages with the regional centre and improve trade relations and transportation with remote settlements. “There will be no village in Georgia without very good roads when the term of my Presidency expires,” Saakashvili said. (Rustavi 2)
German Ambassador opens kindergarten and schools in Shida Kartli
German Ambassador to Georgia Patricia Flor has visited the Shida Kartli Region. In the area damaged during the Russian intervention the European diplomat opened a reconstructed kindergarten and two schools.
Funds for the reconstruction of these schools were allocated by the German Foreign Ministry. Germany has also financed school repairs in the villages of Akhaldaba, Sakasheti and Shindisi. (Rustavi 2)
Christian Democrats’ seek prison reform
The Christian Democrats are seeking to reinstitute the practice of longer prison visits. Magda Anikashvili voiced this initiative at a briefing held yesterday.
The party is demanding that all prison visits should be increased in length and remarked that not only immediate family members but other close relatives should be given the right to see their imprisoned kinsfolk. Magda Anikashvli specified that short visits should not exceed 1 hour and longer visits from family members should be held in a special room without attending administration and last 72 hours.
The Christian Democrats will introduce their initiative to the Minister of Penitentiary, Probationary Affairs and Legal Assistance in the near future. (Interpressnews)
Sozar Subari gives PM three recommendations
Sozar Subari, the Public Defender of Georgia, has given the Prime Minister of Georgia three recommendations. He made these public at a press conference held yesterday.
Firstly, to defend the human rights of people affected by the war, the Government should subsidize the electricity of people living in the so-called buffer zones until the harvest. Secondly, Subari recommends establishing a special commission to study the social conditions of the people living in these villages. Lastly, the Public Defender recommends that this commission clear and cover the bank debts of people affected by the war in Shida Kartli. (Interpressnews)
Grigol Vashadze receives Italian Ambassador
The Press Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia reports that on 24 February Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy to Georgia Vittorio Sandalli.
At their meeting the sides discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, the latest developments in Georgia and other issues. Particular attention was paid to the official visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Senator Alfredo Mantica, to Georgia which is scheduled for 3-5 March 2009. (Interpressnews)
Radio Stations accept Re-Action idea
Georgian radio stations have responded to an idea suggested by the internet group Re-Action, which urged broadcasters not to broadcast Russian on the day of the Russian invasion of Georgia in 1921, February 25.
The members of www.forum.ge called upon TV and Radio stations not to air Russian songs, videos or movies with Russian translations as a protest against the Russian occupation of Georgia. Representatives of radio stations say they will join the protest, however, this will not be a protest against Russian culture, but the leaders of the country which invaded Georgia in 1921 and occupied Georgia territories in 2008. (Rustavi 2)
Police arrest taxi robbers
Police have arrested a gang of criminals who robbed taxis in Tbilisi, Nodar Esartia, Boris Esartia, Nika Makhatadze, and Davit Kubaneishvili. The items they stole have already been recovered.
An investigation has been initiated under Article 179 sub-paragraph b of part II, 353 and 186 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. Officers of the Isani-Samgori district police division of the Ministry of Interior are conducting it. (Rustavi 2)
Academic’s murder to be sent to Strasbourg court
The case of the murder of Guram Sharadze, a Georgian academic, writer and politician, will be sent to the European Court of Human Rights, his daughter Rusudan Sharadze announced at a briefing yesterday. Rusudan Sharadze held the briefing with representatives of the Human Rights Centre NGO and lawyer Gela Nikoleishvili.
The Centre has conducted an independent investigation into this murder and found that the Georgian court’s ruling is incompatible with the facts and evidence it has uncovered. Gela Nikoleishvili said he would hand over the materials obtained by the independent investigation and subsequently send them to Strasbourg. (Rustavi 2)