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The News in Brief

Thursday, May 24
Spain to open its embassy in Georgia

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain will be opened in Georgia, the delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia announced after official meetings held in Spain. The delegation chaired by Deputy Minister Nino Kalandadze discussed cooperation and enhancement of diplomatic relations at the meetings with the representatives of the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom, Congress and ruling party. The sides spoke about the economic, political and cultural relationship between the two countries.

The visit is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Georgia and the Kingdom of Spain. Spain`s authorities reaffirmed their support to Georgia`s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and territorial integrity. (Rustavi 2)



Russia’s New Minister of Internal Affairs Reinforces Fight against Ethnic Groups

Russia’s New Minister of Internal Affairs, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, is going to carry out a number of changes in the office. The Russian media informs that the priority of the new minister will be to reinforce the fight against the criminal units comprised of the Russia’s various ethnic groups. Efforts have already been launched in the “problematic” regions.

The source from the Russian MIA told Russian journalists that after Kolokoltsev was appointed as minister, sub-divisions have been created in the office that will be investigating the crimes committed by ethnic criminal groups.

The source doesn’t exclude Kolokoltsev to restore the department’s fight against organized crime.

Kolokoltsev doesn’t officially comment about the department regarding their fight against the criminal groups, though the media informs us that regional police have already begun working on this.

Law enforcement started to gather information about the Caucasians residing in Chelyabinsk. (IPN)



Marjanishvili Square blocked from traffic

Marjanishvili Square in Tbilisi was blocked from traffic movement late last night in connection with the scheduled gala-concert to be held in the vicinity on May 26, Independence Day of Georgia.

All traffic will be moving through alternative routes until May 27. The roads will be opened in the direction of Zaarbruken Square from Marjanishvili, Tsinamdzgvrishvili and Kiev Streets.

Interested persons can call the hot-line 2 72-22-22 of Tbilisi City Hall regarding the details of temporary route changes in Tbilisi. (GHN)



Working version of voter list available for interested persons

The Commission for Ensuring Voter List Accuracy is prepared to hand the working version of the voter list over to any interested persons, NGOs and political parties - the chairperson of the commission Mamuka Katsitadze announced at the briefing yesterday.

In April 2012, two organizations - The Voters’ League and the Republican Party, requested the voter list from the commission. Mamuka Katsitadze says though the administrative and the electoral codes do not oblige the commission to make unofficial information public, the commission decided to make this step for cooperation with political parties and NGOs.

The Commission for Ensuring Voter List Accuracy launched door-to-door check up of voter data in April and has already verified 10% of the eligible voter data. The commission hopes to have checked up 20% of voter data by the end of this week (Rustavi 2)



Georgian MFA Condemns Terror Act in Yemen

Georgian Foreign department expressed deep sorrow regarding the Yemen bombing that killed up to 100 people, the statement of MFA reads:

Following the statement, Georgia supports the effort of the government of Yemen to strengthen stability and condemns terrorism at all its forms, especially against innocent people.

The Georgian MFA offers its condolences to the government of Yemen and its population, as well as the families and relatives of the victims.

A bomber killed up to 100 people and injured over 200 in San’naa, the capital of Yemen on 21 May. (IPN)



The 9th Channel is Ready to Cover costs of Injured in Car Accident

The 9th channel will cover the costs of treatment for Malkhaz Bichinashvili, injured in a car accident.

Director General of the channel Kakha Bekauri said during a press conference at the InterPressNews office on May 23 they have not been given the chance to do this. He says that he received consent from Aramiantsi hospital on the first day and he paid GEL 2 000, the amount of treatment for two days in advance. They agreed that they would send him the invoice of the payment for the next days, though the hospital administration refused him on 21 May.

”They said that the person was a stranger, doesn’t have relatives, and the guilty party has not been confirmed so the state finances the treatment of the patient in such a case”, Kakha Bekauri said.

He explained that the desire of the TV Company to cover the costs is in force.

Bekauri said that they have presumptions regarding the denial of the hospital administration though they are not going to comment today. The press conference was attended by the head of the news service of the 9th channel Tamar Rukhadze. She explained that the drug test confirmed on the day of the car accident that she was sober. Rukhadze confirmed that the investigator questioned her as a witness. The car accident occurred on the night of May 20, at 01:00. Tamar Rukhadze informs that while she was driving from the tanner on Heroes’ square, there were two drunken men in the vicinity of Laguna Vere, one of them is injured. (Interpressnews)