The News in Brief
Wednesday, June 28
PM Kvirikashvili on Kakha Kaladze’s ‘Interesting’ Political Plans
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a hydropower plant on June 24 in Shuakhevi, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili hinted towards the mayoral candidacy of Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze in Tbilisi, saying he has done “a lot of very important projects” during his tenure.
“I would like to give the floor to a man,who has very interesting political plans … I would also like to thank him for a very productive work in the post of the Energy Minister and wish him success, which I personally and our team are convinced of,” Kvirikashvili added.
Kakha Kaladze, a former footballer who won UEFA Champions League with AC Milan twice, joined the then-opposition Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia in 2011, leading the party list of the Georgian Dream coalition in the 2012 parliamentary polls. Kaladze was elected in the new Parliament after winning a majoritarian race in his native Samtredia constituency in western Georgia. Shortly after the elections, he was appointed the Energy Minister. (Civil.ge)
Persons convicted of drug use may be released from prison
Persons convicted of drug use may be released from liability if Parliament adopts a package on the liberalization of the country's drug policies.
Akaki Zoidze, head of the Healthcare Committee, made the announcement in response to a question of whether the liberalization will be followed by an amnesty.
According to him, people have been imprisoned for years for the possession and consumption of even small amounts of drugs, and this will be changed according to the amendments. “Such people will be released from prison,” said Zoidze.
The legislative package aimed at the liberalization of drug policies has been initiated in Parliament. Consideration of the legislative package will start at the autumn session. (ipn)
Turtle Lake, Lisi Lake and Tbilisi Sea are safe for bathing
Turtle Lake, Lisi Lake and Tbilisi Sea are not polluted and bathing is safe. As InterPressNews was told by the head of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring Department of the National Environmental Agency, Marina Arabidze, according to the latest data, neither the lakes nor Tbilisi Sea is polluted.
According to her, the last samples were taken from the Tbilisi Sea, Lisi Lake and Turtle Lake on May 17.
"The National Environment Agency annually conducts water analysis. We obtain samples from the Lisi Lake, Turtle Lake and Tbilisi Sea. Now we are examining the June samples. We are checking the water according to 23 chemical and 3 microbiological parameters. According to these parameters, water in Turtle Lake, Lisi Lake and Tbilisi Sea is not polluted,” said Tamar Arabidze. (IPN)
Georgia saddened by sunk ship in Colombia
The Georgian Foreign Ministry expressed its deep sorrow over the sinking of a ship near Medellin, in Colombia.
The Ministry has conveyed its condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Colombian people and expressed its sincere sympathies in this time of grief.
The Ministry also wished those injured a timely recovery.
The Telegraph reported that "a tourist boat packed with about 160 passengers for the holiday weekend capsized Sunday on a reservoir near the Colombian city of Medellin, leaving at least six people dead and 31 missing”. (Agenda.ge)
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a hydropower plant on June 24 in Shuakhevi, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili hinted towards the mayoral candidacy of Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze in Tbilisi, saying he has done “a lot of very important projects” during his tenure.
“I would like to give the floor to a man,who has very interesting political plans … I would also like to thank him for a very productive work in the post of the Energy Minister and wish him success, which I personally and our team are convinced of,” Kvirikashvili added.
Kakha Kaladze, a former footballer who won UEFA Champions League with AC Milan twice, joined the then-opposition Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia in 2011, leading the party list of the Georgian Dream coalition in the 2012 parliamentary polls. Kaladze was elected in the new Parliament after winning a majoritarian race in his native Samtredia constituency in western Georgia. Shortly after the elections, he was appointed the Energy Minister. (Civil.ge)
Persons convicted of drug use may be released from prison
Persons convicted of drug use may be released from liability if Parliament adopts a package on the liberalization of the country's drug policies.
Akaki Zoidze, head of the Healthcare Committee, made the announcement in response to a question of whether the liberalization will be followed by an amnesty.
According to him, people have been imprisoned for years for the possession and consumption of even small amounts of drugs, and this will be changed according to the amendments. “Such people will be released from prison,” said Zoidze.
The legislative package aimed at the liberalization of drug policies has been initiated in Parliament. Consideration of the legislative package will start at the autumn session. (ipn)
Turtle Lake, Lisi Lake and Tbilisi Sea are safe for bathing
Turtle Lake, Lisi Lake and Tbilisi Sea are not polluted and bathing is safe. As InterPressNews was told by the head of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring Department of the National Environmental Agency, Marina Arabidze, according to the latest data, neither the lakes nor Tbilisi Sea is polluted.
According to her, the last samples were taken from the Tbilisi Sea, Lisi Lake and Turtle Lake on May 17.
"The National Environment Agency annually conducts water analysis. We obtain samples from the Lisi Lake, Turtle Lake and Tbilisi Sea. Now we are examining the June samples. We are checking the water according to 23 chemical and 3 microbiological parameters. According to these parameters, water in Turtle Lake, Lisi Lake and Tbilisi Sea is not polluted,” said Tamar Arabidze. (IPN)
Georgia saddened by sunk ship in Colombia
The Georgian Foreign Ministry expressed its deep sorrow over the sinking of a ship near Medellin, in Colombia.
The Ministry has conveyed its condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Colombian people and expressed its sincere sympathies in this time of grief.
The Ministry also wished those injured a timely recovery.
The Telegraph reported that "a tourist boat packed with about 160 passengers for the holiday weekend capsized Sunday on a reservoir near the Colombian city of Medellin, leaving at least six people dead and 31 missing”. (Agenda.ge)