The News in Brief
Wednesday, November 18
Health Minister responds to MP’s demand to impose quarantine
The Health Minister thinks it’s unnecessary to close borders and impose a quarantine regarding H1N1. Alexander Kvitashvili, the Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs, responded to MP Jondi Baghaturia’s demand for the imposition of a quarantine by stating, “Baghaturia isn’t an expert and as far as I know he has no qualification in epidemiology”.
According to Kvitashvili, quarantine won’t solve the problem of the spread of H1N1, because 65 cases of H1N1 have already been reported in Georgia and the number is likely to increase. However he said that the country had enough medicines and appealed to the population to stay calm. (Interpressnews)
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia demands investigation status for his Commission
MP Konstantine Gamsakhurdia may leave Parliament soon, although he reclaimed his MP mandate only a while ago. The son of Georgia’s late President disagrees with the status given to the Commission investigating the cause of death of the President. People summoned to the Commission to give testimony are not obliged to appear because it is only a Temporary Parliamentary Commission. Gamsakhurdia is urging Parliament to grant the Commission investigation status.
A representative of Konstantine Gamsakhurdia’s Freedom Party, Mirian Patarkatsishvili, voiced the position of the party leader at a briefing yesterday. He also spoke about having received a phone call from an unidentified individual who is intimidating everyone tied to the work of the Commission.
“We have received similar calls before; however, we paid attention to this one because it was made two days after the murder of Tamaz Ninua, the former Security Minister. The Commission had planned to interrogate Ninua. I received a phone call at midnight from someone threatening to kill Konstantine Gamsakhurdia and any other person tied to the Commission,” Mirian Patarkatsishvili told journalists, demanding an investigation of this intimidation. (Rustavi 2)
Abkhazian religious leader sends letter to Russian Patriarch
The leader of the so-called Abkhazian Eparchy, Besarion Aplia has sent a letter to Russian Patriarch Kyril and the Holy Synod of Russia. Besarion Aplia asks Russian religious leaders to help them restore canonical status to the Abkhazian church.
“We want to inform you that over the past 15 years the leader of the Tskhum-Abkhazia Eparchy, Daniel Datuashvili, paid no attention to the Abkhazian Orthodox Church and its parishes. Before God and the nation we confirm that we did not receive epistles, congratulations or other spiritual subsistence either from the Georgian Orthodox Church nor the Eparchy of Tskhum-Abkhazia,” the letter says. (Rustavi 2)
Ina Gudavadze’s statement
Ina Gudavadze, widow of tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, has released the following statement:
“Recently, false allegations and rumours concerning me have been disseminated via the Georgian media. I have tried to ignore these false rumours and avoid commenting on them but the latest allegations are completely outrageous. I have therefore decided to issue a statement to remove any doubts.
“I declare that no criminal proceedings have been brought against me in any country and I have never asked for assistance from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Russian Federation (or indeed any other equivalent Government entity).
“I am not aware of the source of these allegations, although I find it highly suspicious that their appearance coincided with new evidence being submitted to the English courts relating to the forgery of my husband Badri Patarkatsishvili’s will and the role Joseph Kay played in this. Our lawyers will submit those same key materials to the court in Georgia so that interested parties can see them. That evidence has already led to both a search order and a freezing order being made by the English court on certain assets owned by Joseph Kay.
“My family and I have fought for justice in several courts in a number of jurisdictions and we have already secured control over a large share of the assets that were embezzled and misappropriated after the death of my husband. This supports my belief that very soon my family will be able to continue to finance our charity projects, which we were forced to suspend temporarily on 12th February 2008.”
Training programme to be implemented by ATF in Georgia
As part of a nine-day training programme the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of the United States is conducting training for two experts of the Main Forensic Division of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs,18 employees from the Ministry’s regional sub-units and seven employees of the Mine Clearance Service.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a federal law enforcement agency recognised as a leading provider of training programmes on explosives. Its programmes include lectures, video presentations and practical tests. They also include practical exercises on reconstructing the components of explosive devices, which involve using different investigative technique including re-qualification of facts.
Trainees will receive fundamental knowledge of mine handling methods and physical safety issues. Special attention will be paid to the risks connected with explosive devices and the safety measures envisaged for such risks; competent extraction of material evidence from the place of incidents and types of laboratory research will also be highlighted throughout the training programme, which aims to help MIA staff conduct timely investigations of explosions and prevent them. (Interpressnews)
The Health Minister thinks it’s unnecessary to close borders and impose a quarantine regarding H1N1. Alexander Kvitashvili, the Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs, responded to MP Jondi Baghaturia’s demand for the imposition of a quarantine by stating, “Baghaturia isn’t an expert and as far as I know he has no qualification in epidemiology”.
According to Kvitashvili, quarantine won’t solve the problem of the spread of H1N1, because 65 cases of H1N1 have already been reported in Georgia and the number is likely to increase. However he said that the country had enough medicines and appealed to the population to stay calm. (Interpressnews)
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia demands investigation status for his Commission
MP Konstantine Gamsakhurdia may leave Parliament soon, although he reclaimed his MP mandate only a while ago. The son of Georgia’s late President disagrees with the status given to the Commission investigating the cause of death of the President. People summoned to the Commission to give testimony are not obliged to appear because it is only a Temporary Parliamentary Commission. Gamsakhurdia is urging Parliament to grant the Commission investigation status.
A representative of Konstantine Gamsakhurdia’s Freedom Party, Mirian Patarkatsishvili, voiced the position of the party leader at a briefing yesterday. He also spoke about having received a phone call from an unidentified individual who is intimidating everyone tied to the work of the Commission.
“We have received similar calls before; however, we paid attention to this one because it was made two days after the murder of Tamaz Ninua, the former Security Minister. The Commission had planned to interrogate Ninua. I received a phone call at midnight from someone threatening to kill Konstantine Gamsakhurdia and any other person tied to the Commission,” Mirian Patarkatsishvili told journalists, demanding an investigation of this intimidation. (Rustavi 2)
Abkhazian religious leader sends letter to Russian Patriarch
The leader of the so-called Abkhazian Eparchy, Besarion Aplia has sent a letter to Russian Patriarch Kyril and the Holy Synod of Russia. Besarion Aplia asks Russian religious leaders to help them restore canonical status to the Abkhazian church.
“We want to inform you that over the past 15 years the leader of the Tskhum-Abkhazia Eparchy, Daniel Datuashvili, paid no attention to the Abkhazian Orthodox Church and its parishes. Before God and the nation we confirm that we did not receive epistles, congratulations or other spiritual subsistence either from the Georgian Orthodox Church nor the Eparchy of Tskhum-Abkhazia,” the letter says. (Rustavi 2)
Ina Gudavadze’s statement
Ina Gudavadze, widow of tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, has released the following statement:
“Recently, false allegations and rumours concerning me have been disseminated via the Georgian media. I have tried to ignore these false rumours and avoid commenting on them but the latest allegations are completely outrageous. I have therefore decided to issue a statement to remove any doubts.
“I declare that no criminal proceedings have been brought against me in any country and I have never asked for assistance from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Russian Federation (or indeed any other equivalent Government entity).
“I am not aware of the source of these allegations, although I find it highly suspicious that their appearance coincided with new evidence being submitted to the English courts relating to the forgery of my husband Badri Patarkatsishvili’s will and the role Joseph Kay played in this. Our lawyers will submit those same key materials to the court in Georgia so that interested parties can see them. That evidence has already led to both a search order and a freezing order being made by the English court on certain assets owned by Joseph Kay.
“My family and I have fought for justice in several courts in a number of jurisdictions and we have already secured control over a large share of the assets that were embezzled and misappropriated after the death of my husband. This supports my belief that very soon my family will be able to continue to finance our charity projects, which we were forced to suspend temporarily on 12th February 2008.”
Training programme to be implemented by ATF in Georgia
As part of a nine-day training programme the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of the United States is conducting training for two experts of the Main Forensic Division of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs,18 employees from the Ministry’s regional sub-units and seven employees of the Mine Clearance Service.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a federal law enforcement agency recognised as a leading provider of training programmes on explosives. Its programmes include lectures, video presentations and practical tests. They also include practical exercises on reconstructing the components of explosive devices, which involve using different investigative technique including re-qualification of facts.
Trainees will receive fundamental knowledge of mine handling methods and physical safety issues. Special attention will be paid to the risks connected with explosive devices and the safety measures envisaged for such risks; competent extraction of material evidence from the place of incidents and types of laboratory research will also be highlighted throughout the training programme, which aims to help MIA staff conduct timely investigations of explosions and prevent them. (Interpressnews)