The News in Brief
Friday, June 6
One day until Tbilisi Open Air Music Festival
The countdown is on until Tbilisi transforms from a quiet, mellow city into a raging entertainment venue. On June 6, the sixth annual Tbilisi Open Air Music Festival will open at Lisi Lake. Boasting four international acts, event organisers believe this year’s festival will be one that guests will not forget. Music will pump from Lisi Lake for 72 hours for the duration of the highly anticipated event. The main acts of this year are a collection of 21 Georgian musicians and musical groups, including Nino Katamadze, Nika Machaidze and Kung Fu Junkie.
They will be joined by four international acts from Lithuania, Russia, United Kingdom and Canada. Organisers have set up an area where people can pitch their tent and camp. In the evenings, a campfire will be lit and visitors can listen to acoustic music by moonlight. During the day, between performances, guests can take part in karaoke or enjoy the taste of local food and drink. The gates will open at 3pm on June 6. The inaugural Tbilisi Open Air Music Festival was held in May 2009. Last year’s event was particularly memorable when the famous UK band Deep Purple entertained Tbilisi crowds. (agenda.ge)
Poroshenko invites Saakashvili and Margvelashvili to his inauguration ceremony
Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili met with Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko in Poland on June 4.
Poroshenko invited Saakashvili to his inauguration ceremony, which will be held on June 7. Poroshenko has already invited President Giorgi Margvelashvili to attend the event. (frontnews)
Georgia gets observer status in Danube Commission
Georgia has been granted observer status in the Danube Commission intergovernmental organization during its 82nd session held in Budapest, Hungary, the Georgian Foreign Ministry told Trend on June 5.
The Georgian ambassador to Hungary, Zaza Kandelaki took part at the session at the invitation of the organization's acting chairman.
Addressing the session, Kandelaki underscored that Georgia is ready to contribute to the process of the development of navigation in the Danube delta.
The ambassador also emphasized Georgia's strategic geopolitical location and the need to develop transit routes with the Danube River countries.
The Danube Commission is an international intergovernmental organization established by the Convention regarding the regime of navigation on the Danube, signed in Belgrade on 18 August 1948.
Its main objective is to develop free navigation on the Danube River. Observer countries also play an important role in the organization. (trend.az)
Georgian Defense Ministry's former intelligence officer Paata Kardava’s case solved
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Georgian Defense Ministry's former intelligence officer Paata Kardava’s case has been solved.
The Interior Ministry released the following statement concerning the above-mentioned:
“The officers of the State Security Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and officers of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia as a result of joint investigative activities have established the following: Former head of the MIA's Constitutional Security Department of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic Division, Roman Shamatava ordered officers of the MIA’s Special Operations Department illegal detention of liberty of the Defense Ministry's former intelligence officer Paata Kardava. They should have brought Kardava to Batumi. On 27 August 2008, officers of the MIA’s Special Operations Department met Kardava near the post office in Zugdidi and they abducted him,” the statement said. According to the statement, Kardava was taken to Batumi, near the Black Sea coast. Shamatava accused Kardava of cooperation with Abkhazian separatists. Handcuffed and blindfolded, Kardava was forced by Roman Shamatava and the officers of the MIA’s Special Operations Department to sit in a boat. When the boat entered the sea, Shamatava had killed Kardava with a single shot to the head and then threw the body of Kardava into the sea.
“Investigation is in progress under article 143, part IV subparagraph A and article 109, part II, subparagraph B of the Criminal Code of Georgia,” said the statement of the Interior Ministry. ( frontnews)
The Speech by David Usupashvili in Polish Sejm
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament delivered a speech at an event dedicated to the Polish Independence Day in the Polish Sejm. He recalled Soviet propaganda: “30 years ago when Poland fought against the Communist regime, I was a school boy. We were obliged to read Soviet newspapers where the articles were about Lech Valensa calling for a strike which made him a traitor. In 1989, when Solidarity won in Poland, I was the candidate of the Public Front of Georgia. I would like to thank you for that revolution, making an impact in my mentality… though the mission is yet not accomplished. There are still millions of people who are in darkness, trying to modernize Communism in Russia instead of the democratization of the country.” He wished Polish people success in the region. “You are doing an incredible job in the region, convincing people that freedom is the best thing worth to fight for.” (parliament.ge)
Georgia`s State Minister visits Ukraine
Georgia`s State Minister for European Integration Alexander Petriashvili has left for Ukraine on a working visit. During the visit, the state minister will meet with representatives of the new government and the vice speaker of the parliament of Ukraine.
The Georgian minister will also take part in the international economic conference in Ukraine.
Representatives of the two countries intend to discuss Georgia`s integration with the EU and the upcoming signing of the association agreement.
Prospects for integration into NATO are also expected to be discussed at the Georgian state minister`s meetings in Ukraine. (Rustavi 2)
The countdown is on until Tbilisi transforms from a quiet, mellow city into a raging entertainment venue. On June 6, the sixth annual Tbilisi Open Air Music Festival will open at Lisi Lake. Boasting four international acts, event organisers believe this year’s festival will be one that guests will not forget. Music will pump from Lisi Lake for 72 hours for the duration of the highly anticipated event. The main acts of this year are a collection of 21 Georgian musicians and musical groups, including Nino Katamadze, Nika Machaidze and Kung Fu Junkie.
They will be joined by four international acts from Lithuania, Russia, United Kingdom and Canada. Organisers have set up an area where people can pitch their tent and camp. In the evenings, a campfire will be lit and visitors can listen to acoustic music by moonlight. During the day, between performances, guests can take part in karaoke or enjoy the taste of local food and drink. The gates will open at 3pm on June 6. The inaugural Tbilisi Open Air Music Festival was held in May 2009. Last year’s event was particularly memorable when the famous UK band Deep Purple entertained Tbilisi crowds. (agenda.ge)
Poroshenko invites Saakashvili and Margvelashvili to his inauguration ceremony
Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili met with Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko in Poland on June 4.
Poroshenko invited Saakashvili to his inauguration ceremony, which will be held on June 7. Poroshenko has already invited President Giorgi Margvelashvili to attend the event. (frontnews)
Georgia gets observer status in Danube Commission
Georgia has been granted observer status in the Danube Commission intergovernmental organization during its 82nd session held in Budapest, Hungary, the Georgian Foreign Ministry told Trend on June 5.
The Georgian ambassador to Hungary, Zaza Kandelaki took part at the session at the invitation of the organization's acting chairman.
Addressing the session, Kandelaki underscored that Georgia is ready to contribute to the process of the development of navigation in the Danube delta.
The ambassador also emphasized Georgia's strategic geopolitical location and the need to develop transit routes with the Danube River countries.
The Danube Commission is an international intergovernmental organization established by the Convention regarding the regime of navigation on the Danube, signed in Belgrade on 18 August 1948.
Its main objective is to develop free navigation on the Danube River. Observer countries also play an important role in the organization. (trend.az)
Georgian Defense Ministry's former intelligence officer Paata Kardava’s case solved
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Georgian Defense Ministry's former intelligence officer Paata Kardava’s case has been solved.
The Interior Ministry released the following statement concerning the above-mentioned:
“The officers of the State Security Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and officers of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia as a result of joint investigative activities have established the following: Former head of the MIA's Constitutional Security Department of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic Division, Roman Shamatava ordered officers of the MIA’s Special Operations Department illegal detention of liberty of the Defense Ministry's former intelligence officer Paata Kardava. They should have brought Kardava to Batumi. On 27 August 2008, officers of the MIA’s Special Operations Department met Kardava near the post office in Zugdidi and they abducted him,” the statement said. According to the statement, Kardava was taken to Batumi, near the Black Sea coast. Shamatava accused Kardava of cooperation with Abkhazian separatists. Handcuffed and blindfolded, Kardava was forced by Roman Shamatava and the officers of the MIA’s Special Operations Department to sit in a boat. When the boat entered the sea, Shamatava had killed Kardava with a single shot to the head and then threw the body of Kardava into the sea.
“Investigation is in progress under article 143, part IV subparagraph A and article 109, part II, subparagraph B of the Criminal Code of Georgia,” said the statement of the Interior Ministry. ( frontnews)
The Speech by David Usupashvili in Polish Sejm
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament delivered a speech at an event dedicated to the Polish Independence Day in the Polish Sejm. He recalled Soviet propaganda: “30 years ago when Poland fought against the Communist regime, I was a school boy. We were obliged to read Soviet newspapers where the articles were about Lech Valensa calling for a strike which made him a traitor. In 1989, when Solidarity won in Poland, I was the candidate of the Public Front of Georgia. I would like to thank you for that revolution, making an impact in my mentality… though the mission is yet not accomplished. There are still millions of people who are in darkness, trying to modernize Communism in Russia instead of the democratization of the country.” He wished Polish people success in the region. “You are doing an incredible job in the region, convincing people that freedom is the best thing worth to fight for.” (parliament.ge)
Georgia`s State Minister visits Ukraine
Georgia`s State Minister for European Integration Alexander Petriashvili has left for Ukraine on a working visit. During the visit, the state minister will meet with representatives of the new government and the vice speaker of the parliament of Ukraine.
The Georgian minister will also take part in the international economic conference in Ukraine.
Representatives of the two countries intend to discuss Georgia`s integration with the EU and the upcoming signing of the association agreement.
Prospects for integration into NATO are also expected to be discussed at the Georgian state minister`s meetings in Ukraine. (Rustavi 2)