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Compiled by Tekle Gachechiladze
Monday, December 6
Christian Democrats demand defending the State language

Members of the Parliament faction Christian Democrats and the City Council (Sakrebulo) held a briefing at the monument of Dedaena, 24 Saati reports. Christian Democrats discussed the advertising initiative that envisages preserving Georgian Language standards. It has been more than 5 years since country’s most prominent sanctities – the official language – was left absolutely unprotected. There is no body, which even on a recommendation level controls the defense of Georgian language standards. Maybe soon in Georgia, there won't be a shop, a hotel, a shopping mall, etc., the name of which can be understood in the official state language" declared Giorgi Akhvlediani of the Christian Democratic Movement. The Christian Democrats have said, that in the law on advertisements it is written that if a sign is about 1.5 metres away from a building, there is no obligation for the sign to be written in the Georgian language. According to GHN news agency, the parliament faction insists on the abolition of this rule and demands that the signs be written in the official language as well.



Dmitry Shashkin meets US Assistant Secretary of Defence

US Defence Assistant Secretary in Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense programmes, Andrew Weber met the Georgian Education and Science Minister, Dimitri Shashkin, 24 Saati reports. During the meeting the sides discussed ways to effectively use the unique scientific research laboratory (CRL) in Georgia. The main purpose of the meeting held at the Education and Science Ministry, was attributing the educational function to central Laboratory (CRL). The laboratory will cooperate intensively with universities, so students will be able to have practical studies with highly qualified specialists. According to the Education and Science ministry, the Central Laboratory is unique in the South Caucasus and was created with the US government’s financial support. The laboratory helps find new infectious diseases, epidemiological observations and carries out a variety of research. It also has strategic importance. At the meeting Weber expressed his interest in programs that assist scientists and scientific research. He said that the US Government is ready to cooperate further with Georgia, in order to facilitate a process of educational reform realisation.



Drivers’ preliminary medical tests cease

Transport drivers in Georgia will no longer require mandatory preliminary medical testing, Sakartvelos Respublika writes. Amendments on the abovementioned issue are being applied to the Law on Road Safety. According to the draft law initiators’ explanation, the medical testing was not carried out in practice and it only had a formal disposition - it was linked with some corruption deals. In addition, according to them, a large part of the country’s internal regular transportation is carried out by individual carriers from village type settlements, where it is quite difficult to perform medical checks. According to new draft law drivers’ preliminary medical testing will be abolished, however the amendment will not apply to international carriers.