Press Scanner
Compiled by Sopo Datishvili
Tuesday, May 5
Why does the Parliament Chairman abrogate the law?
Responding to a question from a Versia journalist, who asked when Parliament will next sit, David Bakradze, the Speaker of Parliament, said: “We are abiding by the regulations as we are holding Bureau meetings once a week. Because of the current restrictions however journalists cannot attend these. The Committees are also continuing to sit but work in a different format, outside Parliament. So we are trying to stay within the framework of the regulations.
“All the roads to the Parliament building are blocked and there are strong negative emotions in the people gathered there. Many political leaders are urging their supporters to exert moral and psychological terror on any MP they meet. In these circumstances, if an MP from the majority party appeared near the Parliament building this would cause a serious dispute.
“By the way, I see that the opposition are a little disappointed with this decision, as it leaves them no chance to make provocations. If this isn’t so, why do some leaders highlight Parliament’s work pattern several times a day? Through this they want to show that the Government is violating them. I won’t give anyone the possibility of creating provocations.
“We will enter the Parliament only after we see that the opposition understands its responsibility and doesn’t want confrontation. But now they have started disturbing politicians in their own homes. Today some aggressive youngsters were at my place making insulting statements, writing things and acting impolitely. As the opposition parties have started taking such actions, and we can see how aggressive they are with journalists, the appearance of MPs will create the risk of provocation. We will go on with our work as soon as the aggression stops,” said Bakradze.
Protest over hospital selloffs
Kviris Palitra reports that selling off hospitals has practically destroyed the network of medical institutions. A new wave of protest against this has been caused by an article published in Kviris Palitra (“Strategically important hospital is to be closed”). The Ministry of Economy sold the hospital concerned at an extremely low price to the PSP Group, who closed it and left the doctors unemployed.
A meeting concerning this was arranged at the hospital by the National Forum and the Civil Committee of Doctors. 400 doctors are members of this Committee. At the meeting it was also stated that Burns Centre, another important hospital, was also under threat of privatisation and closure.
“The Burns Centre is strategically important. 80% of its patients are socially vulnerable people and we cannot condemn them to death. The scheme of opening a hundred new hospitals has failed. All hospitals, not just burns units, should remain the property of the Government,” said participants of the meeting.
The Committee has vowed to go on fighting. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection has met the doctors and promised that, for now, the Burns Centre will not be sold, so something was achieved by the meeting, the paper says.
Kvareli residents are drinking unchecked water
Akhali Taoba reports that Kvareli is being provided with unfiltered water. This was announced on Radio Hereti by local resident Maia Bekhurishvili, who said that the water hasn’t been examined in the laboratory.
“I asked the local authorities for help and an examination but they aren’t interested in the problem,” Bekhurishvili stated.
The head of the Kvareli Municipality, Levan Gamsakhurdia, confirms that the water hasn’t been lab tested but says it is chlorate. “As this is the demand of the citizens, the water will be examined regularly in future. The only problem is the old system of pipes, which should be totally changed,” said the Governor of Kvareli.
Responding to a question from a Versia journalist, who asked when Parliament will next sit, David Bakradze, the Speaker of Parliament, said: “We are abiding by the regulations as we are holding Bureau meetings once a week. Because of the current restrictions however journalists cannot attend these. The Committees are also continuing to sit but work in a different format, outside Parliament. So we are trying to stay within the framework of the regulations.
“All the roads to the Parliament building are blocked and there are strong negative emotions in the people gathered there. Many political leaders are urging their supporters to exert moral and psychological terror on any MP they meet. In these circumstances, if an MP from the majority party appeared near the Parliament building this would cause a serious dispute.
“By the way, I see that the opposition are a little disappointed with this decision, as it leaves them no chance to make provocations. If this isn’t so, why do some leaders highlight Parliament’s work pattern several times a day? Through this they want to show that the Government is violating them. I won’t give anyone the possibility of creating provocations.
“We will enter the Parliament only after we see that the opposition understands its responsibility and doesn’t want confrontation. But now they have started disturbing politicians in their own homes. Today some aggressive youngsters were at my place making insulting statements, writing things and acting impolitely. As the opposition parties have started taking such actions, and we can see how aggressive they are with journalists, the appearance of MPs will create the risk of provocation. We will go on with our work as soon as the aggression stops,” said Bakradze.
Protest over hospital selloffs
Kviris Palitra reports that selling off hospitals has practically destroyed the network of medical institutions. A new wave of protest against this has been caused by an article published in Kviris Palitra (“Strategically important hospital is to be closed”). The Ministry of Economy sold the hospital concerned at an extremely low price to the PSP Group, who closed it and left the doctors unemployed.
A meeting concerning this was arranged at the hospital by the National Forum and the Civil Committee of Doctors. 400 doctors are members of this Committee. At the meeting it was also stated that Burns Centre, another important hospital, was also under threat of privatisation and closure.
“The Burns Centre is strategically important. 80% of its patients are socially vulnerable people and we cannot condemn them to death. The scheme of opening a hundred new hospitals has failed. All hospitals, not just burns units, should remain the property of the Government,” said participants of the meeting.
The Committee has vowed to go on fighting. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection has met the doctors and promised that, for now, the Burns Centre will not be sold, so something was achieved by the meeting, the paper says.
Kvareli residents are drinking unchecked water
Akhali Taoba reports that Kvareli is being provided with unfiltered water. This was announced on Radio Hereti by local resident Maia Bekhurishvili, who said that the water hasn’t been examined in the laboratory.
“I asked the local authorities for help and an examination but they aren’t interested in the problem,” Bekhurishvili stated.
The head of the Kvareli Municipality, Levan Gamsakhurdia, confirms that the water hasn’t been lab tested but says it is chlorate. “As this is the demand of the citizens, the water will be examined regularly in future. The only problem is the old system of pipes, which should be totally changed,” said the Governor of Kvareli.