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The News in Brief

Friday, September 30
Royal Couple has Heir

Georgian royalty has a new heir - the son of Davit Bagration Mukhraneli and Ana Bagration-Gruzinskaia was born on September 27th. They called him Giorgi.

Ana Bagrationi gave birth to her child in Spain. The couple`s wedding took place on February 8, 2009 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The famous couple parted after a few months but soon they got back together again and moved to Spain, where the royal heir was born. (Rustavi 2)



Putin Congratulates Lakerbaia on Abkhaz Premiership

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin congratulated Leonid Lakerbaia on being elected as prime minister of Abkhazia, Ria Novosti reports. “I’m sure that your work as head of the government will promote the effective restoration and development of the republic, increase the well being of Abkhazian citizens, and establish friendly relations and constructive cooperation between countries. I wish you health, happiness and success in your work for the Abkhazian people,” Putin’s address reads.

Leonid Lakerbaia was appointed as a de-facto prime minister on 27 September by de-facto president Aleksandr Ankvab. He organised Ankvab’s election campaign for the presidential election on 26 August, 2011. He was de-facto Vice Prime Minister in the late Sergey Bagapsh’s government. (Interpressnews)



Russian Nationalists Launch Campaign - “Stop Feeding the Caucasus”

Russian nationalists have launched a wide-ranging campaign entitled “Stop feeding the Caucasus”. As Kommersant reports, the nationalists want to decrease budgetary support for Russia's southern republics and threaten to hold protests.

Experts consider that they want to spread the idea of the necessity to separate the Caucasus from Russia with such slogans as support for the North Caucasian republics has significantly decreased.

The protests are organized by the Russian Public Movement and Russian Civil Union. They will hold protests in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod and other Russian cities.

The nationalists already had similar slogans this spring when they held authorized protests in the center of Moscow. (Interpressnews)



Russian Tour Operators Arrive in Georgia

Russian tour operators have begun to work on a new tourist direction with a new slogan - `Batumi - the Adjara Tourism Marvel`. Sixteen representatives of various tourist companies from the Russian Federation are paying a visit to Adjara to look into the tourist potential of Georgia`s seaside region.

They will stay in Georgia until October 2. Until then the tour operators will visit old and new districts of the Adjarian city, the boulevard, botanical gardens and the wine house, mountainous tourist routes in Adjara and taste local dishes. (Rustavi 2)



Gilauri Holds Meetings in New Zealand

Prime Minister Nika Gilauri has paid an official visit to New Zealand. Gilauri discussed cooperation in various spheres between the two countries and the intensification of economic relations at the meeting with the speaker of New Zealand`s parliament and the Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs.

The issue of Russia`s membership in WTO, which is blocked by Georgia, was also on the agenda.

Nika Gilauri held meetings with the Prime Minister of Samoa in Oakland. The sides discussed the development of economic relations and cooperation within various international organizations.

The Georgian delegation also attended a special reception dedicated to the Rugby World Cup 2011 hosted by New Zealand. (Rustavi 2)



90th Anniversary of Georgian Constitution to Be Marked in Strasbourg

The autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will open with different events dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the first constitution of independent Georgia in Strasbourg today. The Sukhishvili National Ballet ensemble will perform to open the series of events in the city today. In addition, a special exhibition will be arranged in the building of PACE, where the photos and historic documents dedicated to the declaration of independence of Georgia in 1921 will be exhibited. The original of the declaration of independence will be among the expositions. The autumn session of the PACE opens on October 2. The exhibition will last a week in Strasbourg. (Rustavi 2)