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The News in Brief

Friday, May 6
State Minister holds meetings in U.S.

Georgian State Minister for Reintegration Eka Tkeshelashvili has held meetings in Washington DC. She discussed Georgian security and the role of the USA at the meeting with Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mrs. Lehtinen has always been critical towards Georgia`s occupation by Russia. Lehtinen emphasized that Georgian security is part of US security.

Tkeshelashvili also held meetings at the US State Department, Senate and Congress. Security is a priority for Georgia and the region as a whole, she said. Tkeshelashvili met the US Assistant Deputy Secretary of State Tina Kaidenau. (Rustavi 2)



Georgia to share experience to Tunisia and Egypt

An official Georgian delegation will visit Tunisia and Egypt on May 7 to share its experience of the reforms, which the government has been carrying out in the country since the rose revolution in 2003.

The official delegation chaired by the Prime Minister`s chief advisor Vakhtang Lezhava says they will first of all discuss anti-corruption reforms, simplification of business environment, reforms in the police, public and civil registry systems. (Rustavi 2)



Streets Flooded in Tbilisi

Brief but heavy rain fall has created problems in Tbilisi.

Namely, flooded roads have hindered traffic in the capital as the whole

the country has experienced difficult weather for a few days.

Forecasters say Georgia may face serious flooding in the event of continued rains in the next two days.

All rivers in Georgia are swelling because of the rainy weather in the spring, a representative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, told InterpressNews.

The torrent may damage houses located at the banks of rivers.

The Center for Monitoring and Forecast says unstable weather may continue in Georgia for one more week. (Interpressnews)



Police Parade to be Held in Batumi on 6 May

A police parade, dedicated to Police Day, will be held in the city of Batumi, Adjara region, on 6 May. The information was confirmed by Natia Surguladze, head of the Department of Culture, Education and Youth Affairs of the Batumi City Hall.

The parade will be conducted on the new Batumi Boulevard.

Other events, including the opening of the Justice House, are also planned in Batumi for 6 May.

Further details regarding the parade are unknown as of now.

6 May was declared as Police Day last year while the Day of the Adjarian Revolution is also celebrated on 6 May. (Interpressnews)



Corruption scheme unveiled in health care system

Georgia`s Main Prosecutor`s Office has unveiled yet another scheme of machinations and corruption in the health care sector. Reportedly, the employs of the sector are suspected in corruption deals with Georgian and popular importer companies. The damage inflicted onto the state budget is 660,000 GEL. Details of the crime were reported at a briefing yesterday.

Earlier, law enforcers had revealed incidents of misappropriation of state funds in the health care sector. Over one million GEL was embezzled by the director of the Nugeshi ltd, who imported medicines for the people suffering from hemophilia. The police have also arrested the representatives of the Via-Vita Company, who embezzled the state funds allocated for dialysis program. The damage inflicted onto the state budget by the machinations reached 14 million GEL. (Rustavi 2)



Footballer Kakha Kaladze May Face Business Problems

Footballer Kakha Kaladze’s business is in jeopardy and the national team captain may face having his property confiscated

Kaladze’s business assets include the hotel Kolkheti in Kobuleti, Adjara region of Georgia. However, the footballer has no obligations to the hotel, and it is up to him whether to rehabilitate the hotel or not. As for the Arsenali Mountain, the Deputy Economic Minister says the footballer has not paid the full price for the mountain yet; negotiations are under way between the footballer and the government.

Kaladze is the only footballer demanding a fair investigation of footballer Giorgi Demetradze’s case but he refrains from making any comment. (Interpressnews)