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The News in Brief

Monday, March 2
Citizens of Georgia to visit United Arab Emirates without visa

President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has made a two day visit to the United Arab Emirates.

During this visit he met high-ranking state officials and concluded an agreement with them which states that Georgian citizens will henceforth be able to visit the United Arab Emirates without needing visas.

It was also stated at the meeting that in spite of the world economic crisis Arab investments in Georgia would increase.
(Interpressnews)



Tbilisi-Moscow flights via Yerevan postponed

Tbilisi-Moscow flights via Yerevan have been postponed until March 10, Interpressnews has been informed by Garik Sarkisian of Armenian aviation company Armavia.

Sarkisian said that Tbilisi-Yerevan-Moscow flights were scheduled for Sunday, but due to a lack of preparation time were postponed until March 10. Flights will then be made twice a day. Tickets have already been sold.

Armavia made a statement concerning Tbilisi-Yerevan flights to the Georgian United Transport Administration on February 27. The head of the Georgian-Russian joint public commission Malkhaz Gulashvili had announced that Tbilisi-Moscow flights via Yerevan would start from March 1.
(Interpressnews)



Heidi Tagliavini visits Abkhazia today

The head of the independent international fact-finding mission on the conflict in Georgia, Heidi Tagliavini, will pay a visit to Abkhazia today. The Apsny agency states that Tagliavini will meet de facto President of Abkhazia Sergey Baghapsh, its so-called Vice-President Raul Khajinba, de facto Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba and so-called Security Council Secretary Stanislav Lakoba.

A meeting between Heidi Tagliavini and the Deputy Defence Minister and UN mission representative is also planned on Tuesday. The international investigation commission delegation will visit Gali on March 4 and then return to Tbilisi.
(Interpressnews)



Cheap insurance policy comes into force throughout Georgia

The GEL 5 health insurance package for Georgian citizens came into force yesterday. From today until June 30, all citizens will be able to buy the cheap insurance package. According to the terms of the package, each citizen who buys the GEL 5 insurance package will pay GEL 1.65 per month for it, the other GEL 3.35 being funded from the state budget.

Citizens holding the insurance policy will be able to obtain primary healthcare, in situ emergency and ambulance services and treatment for accidents for GEL 19.80 per year.
(Rustavi 2)



Dispensation given to university entrants from Gali district

Schoolchildren of the 11th grade in Gali district will be allowed to sit nationwide exams and thus obtain university places if successful. This provision is being made because the Russian side does not allow schools in Gali to have a 12th grade like all other schools in Georgia.

The Head of the National Assessment and Examination Centre, Maia Miminoshvili, and Abkhaz Education and Culture Minister Aleksandre Aplakov met schoolteachers and university entrants from Gali district in Zugdidi yesterday. Representatives of subject groups of the National Assessment and Examination Centre answered questions from the university entrants. Manuals published by the centre were handed over to schools in Gali district.
(Rustavi 2)



Regional web portal created

A new regional website has been created. The Regions.ge is the first portal in Georgia dedicated to current events in the regions. The twelve regions each have their own pages on the portal, which include different headings.

Any interested person is now able to obtain the latest news about politics, economics, infrastructure, art, sport and other goings-on in the regions.
(Rustavi 2)