The News in Brief
Tuesday, December 8
Occupiers building roads for military purposes
A team of military engineers of the Ministry of Defence of Russia is working in the occupied Akhalgori district, The Club of Experts has told Interpressnews. The occupiers are planning to extend the Akhalgori-Orchosani road, something which requires the construction of several bridges, and an engineering group has already carried out the necessary measurement work.
The occupiers have also brought military engineering divisions to the gorge of the river Mejuda to expand and develop a bypass linking Tskhinvali with Akhalgori. The troops are divided into brigades and working by rotation around the clock. The Akhalgori region, where the largest numbers of manpower and military equipment are deployed in field conditions, is the most militarised area in the occupied Tskhinvali region, the experts say.
(Interpressnews)
Mayor of Kutaisi resigns
Kutaisi Mayor Nugzar Shamugia has resigned. He has not made any comment on this,
but reportedly he has left due to the severe criticism levelled against him by President Saakashvili a few days ago during his visit to Kutaisi.
Nugzar Shamugia, the seventh Mayor of Kutaisi since the Rose Revolution, served for two years and eight months. It is not yet known who will replace him, but for the time being First Vice Mayor Zaza Nutsubidze will act for him. Nugzar Shamugia was appointed Mayor on Nino Burjanadze’s recommendation.
(Interpressnews)
Ombudsman calls on Tskhinvali regime to release Giorgi Archvadze immediately
The Georgian Ombudsman has called on the Tskhinvali regime to release Giorgi Archvadze immediately. He is one more Georgian juvenile kept in custody by the separatists, Interpressnews was told by a spokesman for the Ombudsman’s Office. Giorgi Archvadze has already been in custody for five months.
Representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office met the boy's family members in Gori on 5 December. They confirmed that Giorgi Archvadze disappeared from the city on 5 July. 3 weeks later he called his relatives and said that he was in Tskhinvali. He was reportedly detained on the charge of illegally crossing the border.
His detention has also been confirmed by Giorgi Romelashvili and Aleko Tsabadze, released by the Tskhinvali regime on 2 December. According to family members, Giorgi has health problems.
The Ombudsman calls on the Georgian Government and the international community to take steps to secure the immediate release of Giorgi Archvadze.
(Interpressnews)
Police employee detained on charges of bribery
Officers of the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have detained detective-investigator of the Tetritskaro Police Division Colonel Bagrat Qotchorashvili on suspicion of bribery, the MIA informs.
The detainee had allegedly been systematically providing escorts for the transportation of fuel stolen from construction facilities on the Tsalka-Tetritskaro road. For his assistance the detainee received a 300 GEL as a bribe from a certain citizen.
An investigation has been launched under Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Georgia and is being conducted by the officers of the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The offence carries a term of up to nine years imprisonment.
(Interpressnews)
A special session of Standing Commission will be held before the New Year
A special session of the Early Release Commission will be held in December. Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance Dimitri Shashkin has held a press conference concerning this.
Shashkin said that the Ministry has made the decision to hold an extraordinary meeting in December, along with the regular session, so that more convicts will be able to spend New Year with their families. The Minister asked the Commission for a revision of the cases of prisoners not representing a threat to society. Head of the Ministry’s Standing Commission Levan Zarandia will hold the extraordinary meeting soon and the prisoners identified by this will apply to the court for mitigation of punishment.
(Rustavi 2)
New charitable foundation to be launched
A new charitable foundation will begin to operate in Georgia on December 17. The Tanadgoma [support] Foundation was founded a year ago by prominent Georgian opera singer Lado Ataneli, baritone, but the production of the required documents took a whole year.
The goal of the foundation is to help skilled youth develop their skills and continue their studies abroad. Its launch will be held on December 17 in the Tbilisi Grand Concert Hall, at which various Georgian singers working abroad will sing.
Those interested in contributing to the work of the Tanadgoma Foundation can ring (822)-70 30 70.
(Rustavi 2)
Historic discovery in Alaverdi
An historic discovery has been made in the monastery complex of Alaverdi. Archaeologists have found the grave of Father Ioseb Alaverdeli (Joseph of Alaverdi) and the ruins of a royal palace. The discoveries date back to the sixth century.
Rehabilitation work in the Alaverdi complex began three years ago and this is one of the long-term projects sponsored by the Government.
(Rustavi 2)
A team of military engineers of the Ministry of Defence of Russia is working in the occupied Akhalgori district, The Club of Experts has told Interpressnews. The occupiers are planning to extend the Akhalgori-Orchosani road, something which requires the construction of several bridges, and an engineering group has already carried out the necessary measurement work.
The occupiers have also brought military engineering divisions to the gorge of the river Mejuda to expand and develop a bypass linking Tskhinvali with Akhalgori. The troops are divided into brigades and working by rotation around the clock. The Akhalgori region, where the largest numbers of manpower and military equipment are deployed in field conditions, is the most militarised area in the occupied Tskhinvali region, the experts say.
(Interpressnews)
Mayor of Kutaisi resigns
Kutaisi Mayor Nugzar Shamugia has resigned. He has not made any comment on this,
but reportedly he has left due to the severe criticism levelled against him by President Saakashvili a few days ago during his visit to Kutaisi.
Nugzar Shamugia, the seventh Mayor of Kutaisi since the Rose Revolution, served for two years and eight months. It is not yet known who will replace him, but for the time being First Vice Mayor Zaza Nutsubidze will act for him. Nugzar Shamugia was appointed Mayor on Nino Burjanadze’s recommendation.
(Interpressnews)
Ombudsman calls on Tskhinvali regime to release Giorgi Archvadze immediately
The Georgian Ombudsman has called on the Tskhinvali regime to release Giorgi Archvadze immediately. He is one more Georgian juvenile kept in custody by the separatists, Interpressnews was told by a spokesman for the Ombudsman’s Office. Giorgi Archvadze has already been in custody for five months.
Representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office met the boy's family members in Gori on 5 December. They confirmed that Giorgi Archvadze disappeared from the city on 5 July. 3 weeks later he called his relatives and said that he was in Tskhinvali. He was reportedly detained on the charge of illegally crossing the border.
His detention has also been confirmed by Giorgi Romelashvili and Aleko Tsabadze, released by the Tskhinvali regime on 2 December. According to family members, Giorgi has health problems.
The Ombudsman calls on the Georgian Government and the international community to take steps to secure the immediate release of Giorgi Archvadze.
(Interpressnews)
Police employee detained on charges of bribery
Officers of the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have detained detective-investigator of the Tetritskaro Police Division Colonel Bagrat Qotchorashvili on suspicion of bribery, the MIA informs.
The detainee had allegedly been systematically providing escorts for the transportation of fuel stolen from construction facilities on the Tsalka-Tetritskaro road. For his assistance the detainee received a 300 GEL as a bribe from a certain citizen.
An investigation has been launched under Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Georgia and is being conducted by the officers of the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The offence carries a term of up to nine years imprisonment.
(Interpressnews)
A special session of Standing Commission will be held before the New Year
A special session of the Early Release Commission will be held in December. Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance Dimitri Shashkin has held a press conference concerning this.
Shashkin said that the Ministry has made the decision to hold an extraordinary meeting in December, along with the regular session, so that more convicts will be able to spend New Year with their families. The Minister asked the Commission for a revision of the cases of prisoners not representing a threat to society. Head of the Ministry’s Standing Commission Levan Zarandia will hold the extraordinary meeting soon and the prisoners identified by this will apply to the court for mitigation of punishment.
(Rustavi 2)
New charitable foundation to be launched
A new charitable foundation will begin to operate in Georgia on December 17. The Tanadgoma [support] Foundation was founded a year ago by prominent Georgian opera singer Lado Ataneli, baritone, but the production of the required documents took a whole year.
The goal of the foundation is to help skilled youth develop their skills and continue their studies abroad. Its launch will be held on December 17 in the Tbilisi Grand Concert Hall, at which various Georgian singers working abroad will sing.
Those interested in contributing to the work of the Tanadgoma Foundation can ring (822)-70 30 70.
(Rustavi 2)
Historic discovery in Alaverdi
An historic discovery has been made in the monastery complex of Alaverdi. Archaeologists have found the grave of Father Ioseb Alaverdeli (Joseph of Alaverdi) and the ruins of a royal palace. The discoveries date back to the sixth century.
Rehabilitation work in the Alaverdi complex began three years ago and this is one of the long-term projects sponsored by the Government.
(Rustavi 2)