The News in Brief
Thursday, November 27
Prisoner commits suicide
A prisoner has committed suicide in prison No. 15.
According to the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia, the investigation has already been opened. “His body will be examined”, the penitentiary ministry said on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia offers condolences to the family of the inmate. (Frontnews)
Case of Arrested MoD Officials Largely Declassified
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office said on November 25 that large part of the case against arrested officials from the Ministry of Defense and the general staff of the armed forces was declassified.
Prosecutor’s Office said that only 7% of the case related to the sensitive military information, remains classified.
One former and four serving officials from MoD and general staff were detained October 28 and charged with misspending of GEL 4.1 million in an alleged sham tender last year on laying fiber-optic cable. The case led to major split within the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling coalition and firing of Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, followed by resignations of his two allies from cabinet posts, as well as to quitting of Alasania’s Free Democrats party from the GD coalition. Alasania said that the investigation against the MoD officials was “politically motivated”, and was insisting on declassifying the case to pave the way for a trial open for the public.
The arrested officials, who remain in pretrial detention, deny charges. The case remained secret as the tender in question was classified as secret by the MoD. Defense lawyers of the arrested MoD officials have been complaining that they were not able to properly study prosecution’s case against their clients as they were denied in obtaining copies of the case file on the grounds that it was classified as secrets.
After the large part of the case was declassified, defense lawyers arrived at the prosecutor’s office to obtained copies of the case. Prosecutor’s office said that lawyers would also be able to study those parts of the case, which remain classified, in the premises of prosecutor’s office without taking copies of those parts of the case outside the premises.
Preliminary court hearing of the case is scheduled for December 11. (Civil.ge)
Railway employees on strike accuse administration of pressure
The railway employees now on strike accuse the railway administration of pressuring them. Georgia’s new Professional union informed InterPressNews.
“The strike is already under way. As per new professional union of the railway, the administration pressures those on strike to return to their posts. Situation is especially tensed in Khashuri, Kutaisi and Samtredia. The Professional union calls on media representatives to take interest in the situation as due to bad coverage the railway administration is able to implement pressure,’’- the new Professional union says. (IPN)
Turkmen-Georgian intergovernmental commission meeting to be held in Tbilisi
The next meeting of the Turkmen-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation is planned to be held in Tbilisi on November 26-28.
The cooperation in the fuel-energy complex, in particular, the participation in such a major international project as Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector (AGRI) and others may be one of the key areas of cooperation with Turkmenistan.
In case of its implementation, the Trans-Caspian pipeline infrastructure makes it possible to provide the transnational projects with Caspian resources through Azerbaijan in the long term prospect.
Georgia is offering its territory as part of the South Caucasus transport and energy corridor. It is ready to ensure the reliable and safe transit of energy resources from the Caspian Basin and Central Asia through its territory. (Trend.az)
Saakashvili speaks about Ukraine’s Business forum
The Georgian government prevented Georgia’s former Prime Minister Nika Gilauri’s appointment as head of Ukraine’s business forum, ex- President Mikheil Saakashvili told Rustavi 2 on Tuesday.
“Nika Gilauri should have been appointed as head of Ukraine’s business forum, but this was prevented by the government of Georgia. Gharibashvili’s government sent an official note to Ukraine; according to the Georgian government, in case of Gilauri’s appointment, it would suspend cooperation with the European Bank”, Mikheil Saakashvili said. (Frontnews)
A prisoner has committed suicide in prison No. 15.
According to the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia, the investigation has already been opened. “His body will be examined”, the penitentiary ministry said on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia offers condolences to the family of the inmate. (Frontnews)
Case of Arrested MoD Officials Largely Declassified
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office said on November 25 that large part of the case against arrested officials from the Ministry of Defense and the general staff of the armed forces was declassified.
Prosecutor’s Office said that only 7% of the case related to the sensitive military information, remains classified.
One former and four serving officials from MoD and general staff were detained October 28 and charged with misspending of GEL 4.1 million in an alleged sham tender last year on laying fiber-optic cable. The case led to major split within the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling coalition and firing of Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, followed by resignations of his two allies from cabinet posts, as well as to quitting of Alasania’s Free Democrats party from the GD coalition. Alasania said that the investigation against the MoD officials was “politically motivated”, and was insisting on declassifying the case to pave the way for a trial open for the public.
The arrested officials, who remain in pretrial detention, deny charges. The case remained secret as the tender in question was classified as secret by the MoD. Defense lawyers of the arrested MoD officials have been complaining that they were not able to properly study prosecution’s case against their clients as they were denied in obtaining copies of the case file on the grounds that it was classified as secrets.
After the large part of the case was declassified, defense lawyers arrived at the prosecutor’s office to obtained copies of the case. Prosecutor’s office said that lawyers would also be able to study those parts of the case, which remain classified, in the premises of prosecutor’s office without taking copies of those parts of the case outside the premises.
Preliminary court hearing of the case is scheduled for December 11. (Civil.ge)
Railway employees on strike accuse administration of pressure
The railway employees now on strike accuse the railway administration of pressuring them. Georgia’s new Professional union informed InterPressNews.
“The strike is already under way. As per new professional union of the railway, the administration pressures those on strike to return to their posts. Situation is especially tensed in Khashuri, Kutaisi and Samtredia. The Professional union calls on media representatives to take interest in the situation as due to bad coverage the railway administration is able to implement pressure,’’- the new Professional union says. (IPN)
Turkmen-Georgian intergovernmental commission meeting to be held in Tbilisi
The next meeting of the Turkmen-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation is planned to be held in Tbilisi on November 26-28.
The cooperation in the fuel-energy complex, in particular, the participation in such a major international project as Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector (AGRI) and others may be one of the key areas of cooperation with Turkmenistan.
In case of its implementation, the Trans-Caspian pipeline infrastructure makes it possible to provide the transnational projects with Caspian resources through Azerbaijan in the long term prospect.
Georgia is offering its territory as part of the South Caucasus transport and energy corridor. It is ready to ensure the reliable and safe transit of energy resources from the Caspian Basin and Central Asia through its territory. (Trend.az)
Saakashvili speaks about Ukraine’s Business forum
The Georgian government prevented Georgia’s former Prime Minister Nika Gilauri’s appointment as head of Ukraine’s business forum, ex- President Mikheil Saakashvili told Rustavi 2 on Tuesday.
“Nika Gilauri should have been appointed as head of Ukraine’s business forum, but this was prevented by the government of Georgia. Gharibashvili’s government sent an official note to Ukraine; according to the Georgian government, in case of Gilauri’s appointment, it would suspend cooperation with the European Bank”, Mikheil Saakashvili said. (Frontnews)