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Compiled by Mzia Kupunia
Thursday, March 31
Rikoti tunnel temporarily closed for rehabilitation works
According to the Ministry of Regional Development, Rikoti Tunnel has been closed due to the second stage of rehabilitation works, 24 Saati reports. The works were launched on Tuesday. Transport will be available via alternative routes, according to the Ministry. Repair works on the alternative road was finalized in 2010 and “traffic movement is absolutely safe”, the Regional Development Ministry said. Roki Tunnel rehabilitation works will be completed by the end of 2011.
Abandoned Shida Kartli region
The National Forum Gori Regional Organisation Chairman, Soso Vakhtangishvili held a press conference at the Forum’s central office in Tbilisi, Sakartvelos Respublika reports. He informed journalists about the situation in the region after the August 2008 war. “The population living in the conflict zone is in such dire conditions, that the peasants had to cut fruit trees due to the cold winter,” Vakhtangishvili said, adding that the villages in the so called “buffer zone” are “abandoned by the government”. “The State assistance programme was suspended for tens of residents of the villages, all humanitarian aid programmes are also almost over,” he noted. According to Vakhtangishvili, thousands of people became IDPs after the military confrontation in August 2008 in Shida Kartli. “Their social and economic conditions are very severe. The state allocated GEL 28 million for them from the budget,” he said “however, sadly President Saakashvili has not visited Shida Kartli since the August events and has not expressed any interest about how the people, who have become hostages of a lost war, are living,” Vakhtangishvili added.
Christian-Democrats protest the change of Children’s First Clinical Hospital profile
Leaders of the Christian-Democratic Movement met the personnel of Brother Zubalashvili Children’s First Clinical Hospital, 24 Saati reports. Giorgi Akhvlediani and Magda Anikashvili protested against the possible change of the Hospital’s profile. According to the Parliament members, about 160 doctors might be fired. The MPs said that the authorities are planning to abolish the in-patient department, which, according to Anikashvili and Akhvlediani, will create problems for the families residing close to the hospital. “For us it is very important that the highly qualified staff members, who have been working in this institution for years, do not become the victims of the planned reforms,” Akhvlediani noted.
According to the Ministry of Regional Development, Rikoti Tunnel has been closed due to the second stage of rehabilitation works, 24 Saati reports. The works were launched on Tuesday. Transport will be available via alternative routes, according to the Ministry. Repair works on the alternative road was finalized in 2010 and “traffic movement is absolutely safe”, the Regional Development Ministry said. Roki Tunnel rehabilitation works will be completed by the end of 2011.
Abandoned Shida Kartli region
The National Forum Gori Regional Organisation Chairman, Soso Vakhtangishvili held a press conference at the Forum’s central office in Tbilisi, Sakartvelos Respublika reports. He informed journalists about the situation in the region after the August 2008 war. “The population living in the conflict zone is in such dire conditions, that the peasants had to cut fruit trees due to the cold winter,” Vakhtangishvili said, adding that the villages in the so called “buffer zone” are “abandoned by the government”. “The State assistance programme was suspended for tens of residents of the villages, all humanitarian aid programmes are also almost over,” he noted. According to Vakhtangishvili, thousands of people became IDPs after the military confrontation in August 2008 in Shida Kartli. “Their social and economic conditions are very severe. The state allocated GEL 28 million for them from the budget,” he said “however, sadly President Saakashvili has not visited Shida Kartli since the August events and has not expressed any interest about how the people, who have become hostages of a lost war, are living,” Vakhtangishvili added.
Christian-Democrats protest the change of Children’s First Clinical Hospital profile
Leaders of the Christian-Democratic Movement met the personnel of Brother Zubalashvili Children’s First Clinical Hospital, 24 Saati reports. Giorgi Akhvlediani and Magda Anikashvili protested against the possible change of the Hospital’s profile. According to the Parliament members, about 160 doctors might be fired. The MPs said that the authorities are planning to abolish the in-patient department, which, according to Anikashvili and Akhvlediani, will create problems for the families residing close to the hospital. “For us it is very important that the highly qualified staff members, who have been working in this institution for years, do not become the victims of the planned reforms,” Akhvlediani noted.