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The News in Brief

Wednesday, September 2
Statutory social protection mechanisms may apply to Security Forces

Statutory social protection mechanisms may soon apply to families of members of People's Security Forces who fell in the fight for Georgia’s territorial integrity.

This initiative was submitted to the Parliament by the Georgian Dream - National Forum faction.

According to the bill, the list of persons killed in the military operations for the freedom and independence of Georgia will be expanded and servants of the Security Forces will be added to it. If the bill is passed, their families will receive 1000 GEL in state compensation.

The Georgian Dream - National Forum faction will discuss the initiative with the Human Rights Committee. (IPN)



CEC Sets Date for MP By-Elections

The Central Election Commission (CEC) set October 31 as date of MP by-elections in two single-mandate constituencies, Martvili and Sagarejo.

The MP by-election will be held in Martvili constituency in western Georgian region of Samegrelo to fill a vacant seat in the Parliament following the death of UNM MP Nauli Janashia in March. Majoritarian MP seat for Sagarejo single-mandate constituency in eastern Georgian region of Kakheti became vacant after Tina Khidasheli was appointed as Defense Minister in May.

46,011 voters are registered at 49 polling stations in Sagarejo constituency and there are 33,465 eligible voters in 39 polling stations in Martvili constituency.

UNM and Free Democrats opposition parties, as well as 11 non-parliamentary opposition parties are boycotting the upcoming MP by-elections.

Georgian Dream ruling coalition named on August 31 its majoritarian MP candidates for by-elections in Martvili and Sagarejo. Soso Danelia, who has worked for the Georgian embassy in Italy, will run for a majoritarian MP seat in Martvili and Tamar Khidasheli, who chaired Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association in 2008-2010, will be a candidate in Sagarejo.

Irma Inashvili, one of the leaders of Alliance of Patriots of Georgia, will be among Tamar Khidasheli’s competitors in Sagarejo.

Independent candidates, who are not nominated by any of the political party, can also run for majoritarian MP seats in single-mandate constituencies.

Also on October 31 by-elections will be held in Dmanisi, Vani, Khobi and Sagarejo to fill vacant seats in local councils (Sakrebulo) of these municipalities. (Civil.ge)



Georgian residents surrender deadly weapons to Georgian police

Thousands of bullets and almost a hundred weapons unlawfully possessed by locals have been handed over to Georgian police in the latest voluntary relinquish of arms.

Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed 36 people from six towns in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region surrendered 8,041 bullets for various types of firearms, 77 hand grenades and eight sawn-off shotguns.

Four hundred grams of TNT explosives, an anti-tank missile and four smoke bombs were also handed over to police last week.

This was the fourth case of voluntary handover of a large amount of weaponry in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs this year.

Police said an investigation into the cases of illegal purchase, possession and storage of arms had been launched under Article 236, Part I of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

In the three previous instances of voluntary handover of arms in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region this year (February, April and May), the Ministry said citizens had handed over:
- More than 10,000 bullets for various types of firearms;
- About 250 hand grenades;
- 22 land mines;
- About two dozen cartridges for various types of automatic weapons;
- more than 20 sawn-off shotguns;
- 19 anti-tank missiles;
- eight detonators and
- 1.5kg of explosive agent TNT. (Agenda.ge)



“Overcoming the President’s veto will create economic problems for country" – UNM MP

Parliament will discuss overcoming President’s veto on the law on the National Bank on Wednesday. The case concerns separation of the supervisory functions from the National Bank initiated by the majority MPs.

The opposition believes that the rule developed by the ruling coalition will hinder the economic development of the country.

" The majority will be mobilized to overcome the veto. But they have to take into the consideration that in overcoming this veto, they will hinder Georgia's economy," said Petre Tsiskarishvili. (Rustavi2)