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The News in Brief

Friday, October 3
According to Levan Kipiani, Luka Kurtanidze made a timely decision.

"We have to make timely decisions, because the funding planned by us and preparing for sporting events provide an orderliness,"- said Kipiani. The President of the Georgian National Wrestling Federation dismissed several coaches from the position and replaced them by other ones. (Pia.ge)



Judge rules that Mikheil Dzadzamia to remain in custody

Judge Merab Jorbenadze did not uphold the motion of the lawyer of the late Georgian PM Zurab Zhvania’s security guard shift manager on changing the preventive measure.

The lawyer requested a 5000 GEL bail to replace the pre-trial preventive detention, however, this was rejected by the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia. Prosecutor Rezo Nadoi said that if Mikheil Dzadzamia was released, he might exert pressure on the witnesses as well as interfere with obtaining substantial evidence about the case. The statement was made by Dzadzamia, too. He said he had not exerted any pressure on anyone. Under the judge's decision, Mikheil Dzadzamia remained in custody. To be reminded, Zurab Zhvania’s security guard shift manager, Mikheil Dzadzamia and security guard chief, Koba Kharsihladze were charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code, which implies professional negligence. (Pia.ge)



Officials offer condolences to Patriarch

Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili expressed his condolences to Ilia II on the death of his brother.

Civil funeral rites are under way at the Trinity Cathedral. Church parishioners and citizens are offering their condolences to the Patriarch.

Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania and City Council Chairman Giorgi Alibegashvili are also at the Trinity Cathedral. (IPN)



Supreme Court: Tsulukiani released incorrect information on verdict statistics

On 1 October the Supreme Court of Georgia responded to the statement of the Minister of Justice of Georgia, Tea Tsulukiani, who, in response to Tabula journalist's question said that the court did not provide statistical information about the court verdicts to her. She was speaking in Washington at the National Democratic Institute.

"In this regard, the Supreme Court stated that the public information requested by the public institutions or private individuals, international and local NGOs will be issued in accordance with the procedure established by law. On March 24, 2014 the Minister of Justice addressed with the letter to the Chairman of the Supreme Court and requested various kind of statistical data. In response of the letter, the Ministry has received all the requested information and the attachments with indicating of statistical data. The Court further stated that the statistical data and the information on activities of the Court are public and all the interested parties have access to this information through the Supreme Court webpage. The Supreme Court hopes that the incorrect information spread by the Minister does not serve to discredit the Court on the international arena," the Supreme Court statement reads.

During her address at the National Democratic Institute, Tea Tsulukiani spoke about the ongoing reforms in Georgia in justice field, and responded to the questions of the audience. Georgian Ambassador in US, Archil Gegeshidze and the Senior Associate at Carnegie Endowment, Thomas de Waal attended the meeting. Thomas de Waal's question referred to the statistics of the verdicts of not guilty. According to Tsulukiani, during the previous government's term in office the Prosecutor's Office controlled everything, which, the Minister said, explains the low number of acquittals. Tsulukiani said she found a file of Adeishvili, according to which, a judge was agreeing a verdict with the Prosecutor's Office.

On Tabula's question that during the current government's term in office the number of acquittals in 2013 decreased about threefold, compared to the statistical data of 2012, and that the trend continues in 2014 as well, Tsulukiani responded that she has no access to the statistics, because the Chairman of the Supreme Court refuses to provide the statistical information to the Justice Ministry. The statistical data for the years of 2014, 2013 and 2012 are publicly available on the Supreme Court website. (Tabula.ge)



Gov’t approves 25 projects within ‘Produce in Georgia’ scheme

The Government of Georgia has approved 25 new projects within the ‘Produce in Georgia' scheme, in which 46 million GEL ($27 million USD) will be invested into the country’s business sector to stimulate domestic production and develop production-oriented industries. Some of the new businesses are agricultural and industrial enterprises, including in the greenhouse industry, a cattle-breeding facility, a poultry-raising factory, a second-hand paper production mill as well as construction materials production and a pharmacy. Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Keti Bochorishvili said under the agreement, the new enterprises should be built within the next two years.

"These projects will bring new jobs, additional income and welfare for Georgian people,” Bochorishvili said after meeting with Economic Council members, led by the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. Initially, the ‘Produce in Georgia’ program supported any entrepreneur who decided to create a new industrial or agriculture venture. But later the rules changed and existing businesses were eligible to receive the Governmental support to expand their businesses.

In this instance, the Government offered to support existing entrepreneurs in three ways: financially, through infrastructure or by offering the business a consulting service. (Agenda.ge)