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Compiled by Ana Robakidze and Tato Gachechiladze
Monday, December 24
"The President thinks that all lawful orders made by the government are illegal"

Newspaper Resonansi reads that the president's statement made on Thursday, in which he called police officers not to obey “illegal orders", has been followed with a negative reaction. According to the political analysts, the statement can be accepted as a sign that Saakashvili refuses to cohabitate with the Georgian Dream. PR experts consider that the statement may have a negative impact on the rating of both the President and UNM party.

Analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze told the newspaper that the president's statement was illogical, especially now, when everyone is speaking about cohabitation in the country. He said that according to the statement, the president not only refuses to co-exist with the government, but also calls others to refuse to co-operate and obey the government. "He (Saakashvili) refused the position in which he was the most positively seen by the Western world," Sakvarelidze said.



Five policemen fired due to Gunava case

Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili has fired five employees of the Central Criminal Police Department. It is about the arrest of the General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Interior, Tengiz Gunava. The former official said that the police planted a gun and forced him to drink a liquid laced with drugs. Gunava had additional blood tests which proved his body was free of narcotics.

Firstly Gunava was detained for the illegal possession of weapons and drug usage. Later he was detained for exceeding power and the illegal appropriation of 3,000 liters of petrol. Rezonansi asked about the public attitude concerning the issue.

Giorgi Shengelia (Director): This incident is not related to any other facts. As we have seen, Irakli Garibashvili left the old staff in the ministry. Some of them did not have a conscience. They did not understand that the change of government has changed the police approach style. They could not foresee it and made the same mistake.

Giga Nasaridze (NGO “Georgia is not for sale”): Of course, the question comes to every person's guilt, which was in the hands of the new government. As the prosecutor's office said, the investigation is continuing. I do not think the ordinary police should have done it. It looks like conspiracy. Let's see how the new government will investigate Gunava's case.

Zura Manjavidze (singer): these are old methods coming from the old government.

Imeda Kakhiani (actor): The minister of the interior should fire dishonest policemen.