Press Scanner
Complied by Liana Bezhanishvili
Monday, November 30
Sozar Subari: We have shown society that this Government does not negotiate with anyone
In an interview with Alia the former public defender and now member of the Alliance for Georgia Sozar Subari has talked about the forthcoming local elections.
“As it turned out people initially supported the Government’s position on the 30 percent threshold but then six parties (including our three parties) supported our alternative compromise demand that we raise it to 45 percent. Both the Government and the NDP (National Democratic Party), which was playing the Government’s game, raised the percentage and then after some days signed an agreement on 30 percent.
"Some of the non-Parliamentary opposition state that they will not take part in the election process but it is evident that if they participate the Government will do the same. We have demonstrated that the Government is doing everything it can to amend the law to suit its own purposes, but if the other parties had been with us this would have been clearer for everyone. If the other parties put up candidates too there will be 20 opposition candidates and all of them will get 3 percent of the vote, leaving Ugulava to become the Mayor by default. It is clear that if Alasania participates in such an election he will not become Mayor," stated Sozar Subari.
“Politics has passed from the streets to the committee rooms because the streets brought us nothing. If we do not take part in the election so what? Nothing will happen. We have revived the election process as a means of protest. I have nothing against the streets, those who can lead the people out can do so!
"The opposition is not united but it contains a force which can win and we are this force. We will win the 2010 local elections and then early Parliamentary elections and Presidential elections. Those who say that taking part in elections is bad are playing Saakashvili’s game. We have shown society that this Government does not negotiate with anyone. Everyone has seen who is who and what is what. Before this the Government said it was giving the opposition the chance to cooperate but could not talk about anything with those stayed out in the streets. We want to win through elections. Those who want revolution can foment a revolution, but there is no other way," Subari concluded.
Unified Entry Examinations will be replaced at some point
Rezonansi writes that the unified entry exams will be replaced by school graduation examinations in future. University entrants will be identified by the school graduation examinations. However according to the National Centre of Unified Examinations and Committee of Culture and Education of Parliament this issue is only at the idea stage and nothing will be implemented for next year.
"Students will enter the universities via the unified entry exams for a further 2 years. These might be replaced by school graduation examinations. A model exists under which each university directly chooses its own students, who will not need to pass extra examinations. The final model will emerge gradually," the head of the Public Relations Centre of the National Centre of Unified Examinations, Maia Gabunia, told the correspondent of the publication.
"This new system will increase the motivation in schools to study well. There are many states where examinations are conducted in such a way but we are not ready for this yet. We are still working on this idea and cannot give a precise date when the unified entry exams will be replaced," Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Culture and Education of Parliament Khatuna Ochiauri told Rezonansi.
In an interview with Alia the former public defender and now member of the Alliance for Georgia Sozar Subari has talked about the forthcoming local elections.
“As it turned out people initially supported the Government’s position on the 30 percent threshold but then six parties (including our three parties) supported our alternative compromise demand that we raise it to 45 percent. Both the Government and the NDP (National Democratic Party), which was playing the Government’s game, raised the percentage and then after some days signed an agreement on 30 percent.
"Some of the non-Parliamentary opposition state that they will not take part in the election process but it is evident that if they participate the Government will do the same. We have demonstrated that the Government is doing everything it can to amend the law to suit its own purposes, but if the other parties had been with us this would have been clearer for everyone. If the other parties put up candidates too there will be 20 opposition candidates and all of them will get 3 percent of the vote, leaving Ugulava to become the Mayor by default. It is clear that if Alasania participates in such an election he will not become Mayor," stated Sozar Subari.
“Politics has passed from the streets to the committee rooms because the streets brought us nothing. If we do not take part in the election so what? Nothing will happen. We have revived the election process as a means of protest. I have nothing against the streets, those who can lead the people out can do so!
"The opposition is not united but it contains a force which can win and we are this force. We will win the 2010 local elections and then early Parliamentary elections and Presidential elections. Those who say that taking part in elections is bad are playing Saakashvili’s game. We have shown society that this Government does not negotiate with anyone. Everyone has seen who is who and what is what. Before this the Government said it was giving the opposition the chance to cooperate but could not talk about anything with those stayed out in the streets. We want to win through elections. Those who want revolution can foment a revolution, but there is no other way," Subari concluded.
Unified Entry Examinations will be replaced at some point
Rezonansi writes that the unified entry exams will be replaced by school graduation examinations in future. University entrants will be identified by the school graduation examinations. However according to the National Centre of Unified Examinations and Committee of Culture and Education of Parliament this issue is only at the idea stage and nothing will be implemented for next year.
"Students will enter the universities via the unified entry exams for a further 2 years. These might be replaced by school graduation examinations. A model exists under which each university directly chooses its own students, who will not need to pass extra examinations. The final model will emerge gradually," the head of the Public Relations Centre of the National Centre of Unified Examinations, Maia Gabunia, told the correspondent of the publication.
"This new system will increase the motivation in schools to study well. There are many states where examinations are conducted in such a way but we are not ready for this yet. We are still working on this idea and cannot give a precise date when the unified entry exams will be replaced," Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Culture and Education of Parliament Khatuna Ochiauri told Rezonansi.