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The News in Brief

Wednesday, December 22
Germany’s Journalism Union Adopts Resolution on Georgia

A special resolution was adopted by Germany’s journalism union regarding the Georgian Council Charter of Journalism Ethics.

A hoax chronicle prepared by TV ‘Imedi’ is indicated in the resolution as an ‘alarming example’.

‘The possibility of preparing progammes with free and critical information is decreasing in many countries of the world. Repressions from the government, economic dependability and lack of professionalism of journalists are causing this trend. We encounter the same thing in Georgia. The fake show on TV Imedi live was an alarming example, broadcasting the invasion of the Russian army in the beginning of 2010 in Georgia,’ the resolution reads. The resolution was sent to the Georgian council of Charter of Journalism Ethics by chairman of Germany’s journalism union Michel Kohnke.

Presenter of the ‘fake chronicle’, signer of the charter, Natia Koberidze was considered as violator of the first article of the Charter of Journalism Ethics. She left the charter after the decision was made.

‘Over 300 delegates assembled in the congress of Germany’s journalism union on 9-10 November in Essen, Germany. We are glad to inform you that delegates adopted a resolution regarding the Georgian Council Charter of Journalism Ethics. Germany’s journalism union welcomes the initiative of Georgian colleagues who created an independent council of ethics, fighting for establishing professional standards of ethics in their country. Germany’s union of journalism will help and support this initiative,’ Michel Kohnke’s letter reads.

Germany’s journalism union was set up in 1949. There are about 30 000 journalist members in the union. (Interpresnews)



EIB Has Allocated Euro 35 Million Loan To Georgia To Support Small And Medium Business

The European Investment Bank has provided a first long-term loan worth Euro 35 million in order to support small and medium enterprises within the Eastern Partnership.

As it was reported by the headquarters of the EIB, the loan is aimed at lessening the negative impact of the current credit crisis for small and medium-sized businesses.

About 30 percent of this amount will be sent to medium-sized corporate entities and municipalities.

The total amount of EIB loan investments in the Georgian economy, has reached Euro 175 million.

The EIB launched its activities in Georgia, in October 2007. The EIB is the European Bank, established by all 27 EU countries. (Prime-News)



Grigol Vashadze to Visit Egypt

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze will pay an official visit to Egypt in March 2011.

On December 21, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Alexander Nalbandov received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Georgia (with the residence in Yerevan) Wahid el-Din Ismail Galal.

The sides discussed further prospects of bilateral cooperation, including the forthcoming visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to the Arab Republic of Egypt in March, 2011 and the issue of reciprocal and mutual support in the frame of international organizations. (Prime-News)



State Pardon Commission to assemble on December 25

The State Pardon Commission will assemble on December 25 to discuss the cases of prisoners for New Year pardon. The chairperson of the commission, Elene Tevdoradze says over 200 convicts have applied to the commission for pardon, however, most of the cases have been rejected already due to contrary recommendations from the prison administrations and incompatibility to the rules of pardon.

However, the convicts, whose appeals have been rejected, will be able to apply to the commission again in six months' time. (Rustavi 2)



Abandoned child found in Poti

An abandoned infant was found on the Sabcho Street in the city of Poti last night. The new born girl had been placed in a basket. The family of Akhalaias, who had not had a child for 20 years, found her outside the door of their house. When the social agents arrived, the family expressed a desire to adopt the child, but they explained to the childless family that there were special procedures, which they should pass before adopting the girl.

Despite the resistance of the family, the social agents took the infant to the Poti orphanage. (Rustavi 2)