The News in Brief
Monday, March 5
Police checkpoint takes fire in Ganmukhuri
A well-armed group of individuals on Abkhaz territory opened fire on a Georgian police checkpoint near Ganmukhuri, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
At 3:20am Sunday morning, approximately six individuals opened fire on the checkpoint. They were armed with a gun and two RPG-7 grenade launchers.
The shooting lasted approximately 10 minutes. No injuries were reported. The gunmen fled to Abkhazia.
The Ministry condemned the incident and called on the Russian military to prevent further armed provocations.
(Interpressnews)
Tbilisi hosts Georgia-Ukraine business forum
This past weekend, Tbilisi hosted a Georgian-Ukrainian business forum. Representatives from Ukraine's development, telecommunication, transport, tourism, agriculture, and other light industries attended.
The event was opened by Speaker of Parliament, Davit Bakradze. He welcomed the guests and spoke about the successful reforms carried out in Georgia since the Rose Revolution.
"You are visiting a country that was a symbol of corruption ten years ago, and had plenty of problems. We have them today too, but many things have changed in Georgia. The country has been completely transformed. Eight years ago we were in a total blackout, having electricity only for two hours a day. We did not have water, gas, public transport – to [make it simple], ten years ago it was an absolutely different country," Bakradze said.
(Rustavi 2)
Annual inflation reaches 2.1%
Annual inflation in Georgia reached 2.1% in February.
The National Statistics Office reports that changes in the price of food, non-alcoholic beverages, and transportation services had the largest influence on the rate.
The cost of transportation increased by 12.4% last year.
Prices have increased by 0.2% since January.
(Interpressnews)
Tourism learning centre opens in Tbilisi
An International Tourism Learning Centre (ITLC) will be opened in Tbilisi, head of the National Tourism Agency, Maia Sidamonidze, has announced.
The ITLC will offer courses in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management. Lectures will begin in April, but an open door session is scheduled for March 5. Interested persons who attend will be provided with further details about the Centre.
The ITLC will cooperate with American and British companies; lectures will be delivered in English. After graduation, trainees will be awarded internationally-recognized certificates, which will increase their ability to find internships and jobs.
(Rustavi 2)
Abkhazia and South Ossetia vote in Russian election
Russian citizens living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were given the opportunity to vote in the Russian presidential election.
Nine polling stations were opened in Abkhazia. Abkhaz President Aleksandr Ankvab voted for Vladimir Putin. According to Apsni Press, Ankvab remarked, “Abkhazia knows what kind of choice it has to make. I’m sure that Abkhazia will vote for Vladimir Putin. Abkhazia links the future with Vladimir Putin. I voted for the future of our country,” adding that he believes there will be a large voter turnout in the breakaway region.
In South Ossetia, 12 polling stations were open, three of which are for Russian military and border guards. In Tskhinvali, the Russian Embassy hopes that voter turnout will be high.
Presidential candidates include the current Prime Minister and leader of United Russia, Vladimir Putin; leader of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov; former upper house speaker and member of Fair Russia, Sergey Mironov; leader of the Liberal-Democratic party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky; and tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov.
(Interpressnews)
Ankvab's bodyguard dies in hospital
One of Abkhaz President Aleksandr Ankvab's bodyguards has succumbed to injuries sustained in a gun battle, after nine days of treatment in a Sokhumi hospital.
Tengiz Pandaria was gravely injured in the February 22 assassination attempt on Ankvab in Gudauta, and had been in a coma since the attack. Two other bodyguards died at the scene.
(Rustavi 2)
A well-armed group of individuals on Abkhaz territory opened fire on a Georgian police checkpoint near Ganmukhuri, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
At 3:20am Sunday morning, approximately six individuals opened fire on the checkpoint. They were armed with a gun and two RPG-7 grenade launchers.
The shooting lasted approximately 10 minutes. No injuries were reported. The gunmen fled to Abkhazia.
The Ministry condemned the incident and called on the Russian military to prevent further armed provocations.
(Interpressnews)
Tbilisi hosts Georgia-Ukraine business forum
This past weekend, Tbilisi hosted a Georgian-Ukrainian business forum. Representatives from Ukraine's development, telecommunication, transport, tourism, agriculture, and other light industries attended.
The event was opened by Speaker of Parliament, Davit Bakradze. He welcomed the guests and spoke about the successful reforms carried out in Georgia since the Rose Revolution.
"You are visiting a country that was a symbol of corruption ten years ago, and had plenty of problems. We have them today too, but many things have changed in Georgia. The country has been completely transformed. Eight years ago we were in a total blackout, having electricity only for two hours a day. We did not have water, gas, public transport – to [make it simple], ten years ago it was an absolutely different country," Bakradze said.
(Rustavi 2)
Annual inflation reaches 2.1%
Annual inflation in Georgia reached 2.1% in February.
The National Statistics Office reports that changes in the price of food, non-alcoholic beverages, and transportation services had the largest influence on the rate.
The cost of transportation increased by 12.4% last year.
Prices have increased by 0.2% since January.
(Interpressnews)
Tourism learning centre opens in Tbilisi
An International Tourism Learning Centre (ITLC) will be opened in Tbilisi, head of the National Tourism Agency, Maia Sidamonidze, has announced.
The ITLC will offer courses in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management. Lectures will begin in April, but an open door session is scheduled for March 5. Interested persons who attend will be provided with further details about the Centre.
The ITLC will cooperate with American and British companies; lectures will be delivered in English. After graduation, trainees will be awarded internationally-recognized certificates, which will increase their ability to find internships and jobs.
(Rustavi 2)
Abkhazia and South Ossetia vote in Russian election
Russian citizens living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were given the opportunity to vote in the Russian presidential election.
Nine polling stations were opened in Abkhazia. Abkhaz President Aleksandr Ankvab voted for Vladimir Putin. According to Apsni Press, Ankvab remarked, “Abkhazia knows what kind of choice it has to make. I’m sure that Abkhazia will vote for Vladimir Putin. Abkhazia links the future with Vladimir Putin. I voted for the future of our country,” adding that he believes there will be a large voter turnout in the breakaway region.
In South Ossetia, 12 polling stations were open, three of which are for Russian military and border guards. In Tskhinvali, the Russian Embassy hopes that voter turnout will be high.
Presidential candidates include the current Prime Minister and leader of United Russia, Vladimir Putin; leader of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov; former upper house speaker and member of Fair Russia, Sergey Mironov; leader of the Liberal-Democratic party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky; and tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov.
(Interpressnews)
Ankvab's bodyguard dies in hospital
One of Abkhaz President Aleksandr Ankvab's bodyguards has succumbed to injuries sustained in a gun battle, after nine days of treatment in a Sokhumi hospital.
Tengiz Pandaria was gravely injured in the February 22 assassination attempt on Ankvab in Gudauta, and had been in a coma since the attack. Two other bodyguards died at the scene.
(Rustavi 2)