The News in Brief
Thursday, October 1
Georgian State Security Council chief meets US Senator in Washington
State Security Council Secretary of Georgia Eka Tkeshelashvili held a meeting with American Senator Joseph Lieberman in Washington yesterday. The sides discussed the current situation in Georgia, the threat the country faces at present from Russia and the intensification of relations between Georgia and the United States.
“We discussed in detail the situation in Georgia and the problems affecting our country today. We talked about the situation in the occupied regions of Georgia and the threats we are facing from Russia. We also talked about the steps that are necessary to intensify strategic partnership between Georgia and the United States,” Eka Tkeshelashvili told media after the meeting. (Rustavi 2)
CSD arrests customs officer and gang members
The Constitutional Security Department has arrested an organised crime gang operating at Georgian customs. Customs officer Zurab Kirtadze was detained at the Tsiteli Khidi customs point yesterday morning. Two employees of Iberia Heiting Ltd, Zurab Inasaridze and Gela Nozadze, have also been arrested on suspicion of making illegal deals with the customs officer.
“At this phase of the investigation it has been discovered that these people have stolen several tens of thousands of GEL from the state budget as a result of their corrupt deals,” Soso Topuridze, the Deputy Head of the CSD, announced at a special briefing today.
The crime the three suspects are alleged to have committed carries a term of up to 15 years in prison. (Rustavi 2)
Police searching for serial killer
Police are searching for Vladik Askarov, 30, who is suspected of killing three and injuring two people. They report that Askarov killed his fiancee, Flora Zeinalova, 20, by suffocating her, slashing her with a knife and finally cutting off her left hand before running away. He subsequently took a taxi from Marneuli to Dmanisi and killed the driver, it is said. Police found 67 year-old Japangir Japarov dead in his vehicle with a cut artery.
After the second murder Askarov entered a shops in Dmanisi where his aunt worked. He injured her and two customers. Akdar Almadov, 70, died in the hospital where he had been taken with grave injuries; his aunt is safe now but the other injured woman is still in a critical state. (Rustavi 2)
Heavy snow damages Ushguli village
The sudden heavy snow in September has seriously isolated all the villages of the remote Mestia region, however, the village of Ushguli has been damaged most of all. The snow has destroyed agricultural land and the potato harvest. Farmers have been unable to bring their cattle in from pasture. Reserves of milk products have expired and residents no longer have winter storage. An avalanche has also struck the village.
Special rescue groups have been sent to the region to help locals bring their cattle home. Meanwhile, experts are working to repair electricity lines and restore the power supply to the remote region. Road department special brigades have already restored vehicle movement. (Rustavi 2)
Cabinet discusses situation in disaster regions
Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Tkeshelashvili has outlined the situation in the regions of Georgia on which the elements have inflicted serious damage at a Cabinet meeting. He spoke about the specific measures offices are carrying out in each region to assist the injured population.
The Ministers focused on reporting the consequences of the early snow in Kazbegi, the earthquake in Racha and the flood in Kakheti. The damage inflicted to these regions by these natural disasters has not been quantified yet.
Tkeshelashvili gave details of the work regional administrations are carrying out to restore communications in the disaster regions. (Rustavi 2)
State Security Council Secretary of Georgia Eka Tkeshelashvili held a meeting with American Senator Joseph Lieberman in Washington yesterday. The sides discussed the current situation in Georgia, the threat the country faces at present from Russia and the intensification of relations between Georgia and the United States.
“We discussed in detail the situation in Georgia and the problems affecting our country today. We talked about the situation in the occupied regions of Georgia and the threats we are facing from Russia. We also talked about the steps that are necessary to intensify strategic partnership between Georgia and the United States,” Eka Tkeshelashvili told media after the meeting. (Rustavi 2)
CSD arrests customs officer and gang members
The Constitutional Security Department has arrested an organised crime gang operating at Georgian customs. Customs officer Zurab Kirtadze was detained at the Tsiteli Khidi customs point yesterday morning. Two employees of Iberia Heiting Ltd, Zurab Inasaridze and Gela Nozadze, have also been arrested on suspicion of making illegal deals with the customs officer.
“At this phase of the investigation it has been discovered that these people have stolen several tens of thousands of GEL from the state budget as a result of their corrupt deals,” Soso Topuridze, the Deputy Head of the CSD, announced at a special briefing today.
The crime the three suspects are alleged to have committed carries a term of up to 15 years in prison. (Rustavi 2)
Police searching for serial killer
Police are searching for Vladik Askarov, 30, who is suspected of killing three and injuring two people. They report that Askarov killed his fiancee, Flora Zeinalova, 20, by suffocating her, slashing her with a knife and finally cutting off her left hand before running away. He subsequently took a taxi from Marneuli to Dmanisi and killed the driver, it is said. Police found 67 year-old Japangir Japarov dead in his vehicle with a cut artery.
After the second murder Askarov entered a shops in Dmanisi where his aunt worked. He injured her and two customers. Akdar Almadov, 70, died in the hospital where he had been taken with grave injuries; his aunt is safe now but the other injured woman is still in a critical state. (Rustavi 2)
Heavy snow damages Ushguli village
The sudden heavy snow in September has seriously isolated all the villages of the remote Mestia region, however, the village of Ushguli has been damaged most of all. The snow has destroyed agricultural land and the potato harvest. Farmers have been unable to bring their cattle in from pasture. Reserves of milk products have expired and residents no longer have winter storage. An avalanche has also struck the village.
Special rescue groups have been sent to the region to help locals bring their cattle home. Meanwhile, experts are working to repair electricity lines and restore the power supply to the remote region. Road department special brigades have already restored vehicle movement. (Rustavi 2)
Cabinet discusses situation in disaster regions
Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Tkeshelashvili has outlined the situation in the regions of Georgia on which the elements have inflicted serious damage at a Cabinet meeting. He spoke about the specific measures offices are carrying out in each region to assist the injured population.
The Ministers focused on reporting the consequences of the early snow in Kazbegi, the earthquake in Racha and the flood in Kakheti. The damage inflicted to these regions by these natural disasters has not been quantified yet.
Tkeshelashvili gave details of the work regional administrations are carrying out to restore communications in the disaster regions. (Rustavi 2)