The News in Brief
Monday, November 10
More IDPs connected with gas in Tbilisi
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia who now live in a densely populated settlement in the capital city will enjoy a warmer winter.
Fifteen IDP families living in Tbilisi are the latest recipients of a project to connect them with natural gas for the first time.
Kazakhstan gas company KazTransGas Tbilisi have worked with Tbilisi City Hall and the Ministry of Energy to implement a project offering a free natural gas supply to vulnerable families and IDPs in the capital city.
To date, 68 apartments in Tbilisi have been connected with a gas supply as part of this project.
In total, 4,000 socially vulnerable families, including IDPs have already been supplied with natural gas connections for free.
A wider plan developed by the Energy Ministry and the gas company will see an additional 1,500 families connected to the gas supply in the near future.
Meanwhile KazTransGas Tbilisi noted it would continue to offer technical support to these vulnerable families.
Customers who believed the gas heaters or gas-fired water heaters in their homes do not work properly can call the company and qualified specialists will check their gas equipment for free.
(Agenda.ge)
Irakli Alasania to meet Giorgi Margvelashvili
Members of the Free Democrats are going to meet President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Leader of the Free Democrats, Irakli Alasania told Imedi TV on Saturday.
When asked about the invited leaders, who should have attended a congress of the party, Alasania said: “we invited them before the current developments”.
“Of course, we invited Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili; Speaker of parliament Davit Usupashvili and President Giorgi Margvelashvili a long time ago. As for the President’s decision, it is his decision. We are going to meet him in the future”, Alasania said.
Giorgi Margvelashvili as well as Irakli Gharibashvili did not attend a congress of the Free Democrats on November 8.
(Frontnews.ge)
Georgian Dream Coalition keeps majority in parliament
The Georgian Dream Coalition has kept a majority in the parliament of Georgia.
The Free Democrats had 10 of the coalition's 83 seats in the 150-seat assembly but two members decided to leave the faction on Thursday and stay in the coalition.
MP Gedevan Popkhadze decided to leave the Free Democrats on Friday and stay in the coalition. On the same day MP Shalva Shavgulidze left the parliamentary majority.
However, there are also independent 6 MPs: Khobi majoritarian MP Goderdzi Bukia; Ninotsminda majoritarian MP Enzel Mkoiani; Dmanisi majoritarian MP Kakha Okriashvili; Tsageri majoritarian MP Sergo Khabuliani; Lagodekhi majoritarian MP Giorgi Gozalishvili and Lentekhi majoritarian MP Gogi Liparteliani. They may join the parliamentary majority. So, there will not be any threat to the majority's activity in the parliament.
(Frontnews.ge)
I have no illusion that Chief Prosecutor acts independently – Alasania
According to Chairman of Free Democrats, Irakli Alasania, he has no illusion that the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia acts independently.
As Alasania told the Imedi TV, Badashvili was used as an instrument for implementing a blow on the direction which represents a big and steady chain in terms of NATO integration.
‘’I have never said that the government has deviated from the right way. This is an attempt of preventing, when discussions were about to be launched for the substantive package implementation. I remembered this is the group which was not at the Prosecutor’s Office and was at the Financial Police then, which implemented massive detentions when the NATO Secretary General was holding his visit to Georgia and caused a great resonance in international community,’’- Said Alasania.
(IPN)
Defence Minister meets U.S. Ambassador
Minister of Defence of Georgia Mindia Janelidze held an introductory meeting with Ambassador of the United States to Georgia Richard Norland. Defence Attache Colonel Mathew Dimmick and Political Officer Eric Han also attended the meeting.
The issues of bilateral cooperation between the US and Georgia were discussed during the meeting. The sides focused on partnership in military-political and military-technical fields and agreed upon to further enhance relationship in security and military spheres. As Minister outlined, the U.S is a strategic partner of the United States and the political course of Georgia`s Euro-Atlantic integration is irreversible. “The meeting with the US Ambassador was fruitful. We have discussed a previous cooperation in military-political and military-technical areas between Georgia and the United States. I`d like to emphasize the position of our government and Ministry that we intend to continue an intensive cooperation with our U.S. and NATO partners in the all the formats and platforms. It will become more active and vigorous. I have talked about it with the US Ambassador. Mr. Richard Norland also expressed willingness of cooperation with Georgia. Thus, we plan to present new initiatives before our partners”-stated Minister of Defence Mindia Janelidze.
The US Ambassador Richard Norland positively appreciated the meeting with new Minister and stated that an active bilateral cooperation in military and security areas will continue in future too. “First, I want to express my appreciation for the previous Minister Irakli Alasania\’s close cooperation with United States during his tenure as Minister. We very much appreciate the new Minister Mindia Janelidze’s invitation to come and meet this morning. He said that given the fact that the United States is Georgia’s primary strategic partner, symbolically, he felt it was important to have the American Ambassador be his first visitor. We see this as the sign of continuity in our relationship on the military front and in bilateral security cooperation. Minister made very clear that there is no shift in Georgia’s strategic direction, that Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations remain strong as ever. This was very important message for us to hear. We appreciate it. We both agreed that this meeting will be a very good basis to move forward in continuing very important and very close partnership between the United States and Georgia in the security and defence sphere.”
(Ministry of Defense)
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia who now live in a densely populated settlement in the capital city will enjoy a warmer winter.
Fifteen IDP families living in Tbilisi are the latest recipients of a project to connect them with natural gas for the first time.
Kazakhstan gas company KazTransGas Tbilisi have worked with Tbilisi City Hall and the Ministry of Energy to implement a project offering a free natural gas supply to vulnerable families and IDPs in the capital city.
To date, 68 apartments in Tbilisi have been connected with a gas supply as part of this project.
In total, 4,000 socially vulnerable families, including IDPs have already been supplied with natural gas connections for free.
A wider plan developed by the Energy Ministry and the gas company will see an additional 1,500 families connected to the gas supply in the near future.
Meanwhile KazTransGas Tbilisi noted it would continue to offer technical support to these vulnerable families.
Customers who believed the gas heaters or gas-fired water heaters in their homes do not work properly can call the company and qualified specialists will check their gas equipment for free.
(Agenda.ge)
Irakli Alasania to meet Giorgi Margvelashvili
Members of the Free Democrats are going to meet President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Leader of the Free Democrats, Irakli Alasania told Imedi TV on Saturday.
When asked about the invited leaders, who should have attended a congress of the party, Alasania said: “we invited them before the current developments”.
“Of course, we invited Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili; Speaker of parliament Davit Usupashvili and President Giorgi Margvelashvili a long time ago. As for the President’s decision, it is his decision. We are going to meet him in the future”, Alasania said.
Giorgi Margvelashvili as well as Irakli Gharibashvili did not attend a congress of the Free Democrats on November 8.
(Frontnews.ge)
Georgian Dream Coalition keeps majority in parliament
The Georgian Dream Coalition has kept a majority in the parliament of Georgia.
The Free Democrats had 10 of the coalition's 83 seats in the 150-seat assembly but two members decided to leave the faction on Thursday and stay in the coalition.
MP Gedevan Popkhadze decided to leave the Free Democrats on Friday and stay in the coalition. On the same day MP Shalva Shavgulidze left the parliamentary majority.
However, there are also independent 6 MPs: Khobi majoritarian MP Goderdzi Bukia; Ninotsminda majoritarian MP Enzel Mkoiani; Dmanisi majoritarian MP Kakha Okriashvili; Tsageri majoritarian MP Sergo Khabuliani; Lagodekhi majoritarian MP Giorgi Gozalishvili and Lentekhi majoritarian MP Gogi Liparteliani. They may join the parliamentary majority. So, there will not be any threat to the majority's activity in the parliament.
(Frontnews.ge)
I have no illusion that Chief Prosecutor acts independently – Alasania
According to Chairman of Free Democrats, Irakli Alasania, he has no illusion that the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia acts independently.
As Alasania told the Imedi TV, Badashvili was used as an instrument for implementing a blow on the direction which represents a big and steady chain in terms of NATO integration.
‘’I have never said that the government has deviated from the right way. This is an attempt of preventing, when discussions were about to be launched for the substantive package implementation. I remembered this is the group which was not at the Prosecutor’s Office and was at the Financial Police then, which implemented massive detentions when the NATO Secretary General was holding his visit to Georgia and caused a great resonance in international community,’’- Said Alasania.
(IPN)
Defence Minister meets U.S. Ambassador
Minister of Defence of Georgia Mindia Janelidze held an introductory meeting with Ambassador of the United States to Georgia Richard Norland. Defence Attache Colonel Mathew Dimmick and Political Officer Eric Han also attended the meeting.
The issues of bilateral cooperation between the US and Georgia were discussed during the meeting. The sides focused on partnership in military-political and military-technical fields and agreed upon to further enhance relationship in security and military spheres. As Minister outlined, the U.S is a strategic partner of the United States and the political course of Georgia`s Euro-Atlantic integration is irreversible. “The meeting with the US Ambassador was fruitful. We have discussed a previous cooperation in military-political and military-technical areas between Georgia and the United States. I`d like to emphasize the position of our government and Ministry that we intend to continue an intensive cooperation with our U.S. and NATO partners in the all the formats and platforms. It will become more active and vigorous. I have talked about it with the US Ambassador. Mr. Richard Norland also expressed willingness of cooperation with Georgia. Thus, we plan to present new initiatives before our partners”-stated Minister of Defence Mindia Janelidze.
The US Ambassador Richard Norland positively appreciated the meeting with new Minister and stated that an active bilateral cooperation in military and security areas will continue in future too. “First, I want to express my appreciation for the previous Minister Irakli Alasania\’s close cooperation with United States during his tenure as Minister. We very much appreciate the new Minister Mindia Janelidze’s invitation to come and meet this morning. He said that given the fact that the United States is Georgia’s primary strategic partner, symbolically, he felt it was important to have the American Ambassador be his first visitor. We see this as the sign of continuity in our relationship on the military front and in bilateral security cooperation. Minister made very clear that there is no shift in Georgia’s strategic direction, that Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations remain strong as ever. This was very important message for us to hear. We appreciate it. We both agreed that this meeting will be a very good basis to move forward in continuing very important and very close partnership between the United States and Georgia in the security and defence sphere.”
(Ministry of Defense)