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Putin Presents Condolences over Georgian PM’s Death
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a letter of condolences to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili regarding the death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, RIA Novosti news agency reported on February 3. Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania was found dead, apparently by gas poisoning in his friend’s apartment in Tbilisi on early hours of February 3, Georgian …
03/02/2005 - 11:12
Saakashvili Comments on Zhvania’s Death
President Saakashvili presented his condolences regarding the death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who was found dead in his friend’s apartment in Tbilisi early on February 3. “It is very hard for me to speak today. This is a blow for our country and for me personally, as for the President and a person. Georgia lost …
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania Found Dead
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania was found dead in his friend?s apartment in Tbilisi on early hours of February 3, Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili announced. ?We know that Zurab Zhvania came to his friend?s apartment approximately at midnight on February 2. As Zurab Zhvania was not responding to his mobile phone and no one …
Metromedia to Buy Controlling Shares of Georgian Telecom
The U.S. company Metromedia International Group, Inc. will take over 51% of the shares of Georgian Telecom for USD 5 million, Economy Minister Lexo Alexishvili said on February 2. ?The deal is expected to be officially finalized within the next two weeks,? Lexo Alexishvili told Civil Georgia. Currently 51% of the shares in the Telecom is owned by the Georgian …
02/02/2005 - 21:05
Interior Minister Speaks about Some Details of Gori Blast
Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said at a news conference on February 2 that the explosive, which went off in the town of Gori on Tuesday, included a mixture of hexogen, TNT and ammonium nitrate ?totaling a minimum of 70 kilos.? The Interior Minister also said that the investigators have ?hundreds of versions regarding what has happened.? …
President, Ruling Party Discuss Planned Constitutional Changes
President Saakashvili met with the leading parliamentarians from the ruling National Movement party on February 2 to discuss ongoing political process in the country, focusing on planned constitutional amendments that included reforming the judicial system of the country and reducing the number of MPs from the current 235 to 150. Proposed changes, which involve new …
Commission Set up to Supervise IPAP Implementation
On February 2 the Georgian government decided to set up a special commission to monitor implementation of those defense and political reform goals which are envisaged in Georgia?s Individual Partnership Action Plan, which was approved by NATO last October. Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania will chair the commission. State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration Issues Giorgi Baramidze briefed the cabinet members …
Opposition Urges Government to Set up Anti-Terrorism Structure
The New Rights-Industrialist opposition coalition called on the government, on February 2, to create a special structure which will tackle terrorism threats. ?I want to ask the authorities: don?t they think that it was too early to abolish the Security Ministry? I call on the government to allocate serious funds to set up a special state …
Georgian PM Denies South Ossetia Link with Gori Blast
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania ruled out that Georgian and South Ossetian criminal groups might be behind the terrorist act in Gori, which left three policemen dead and 27 others injured. ?The organizers of this terrorist act aimed to spread panic among the population and destabilize the situation. However, we should respond with consolidation and effective activities,? Zhvania …
State Minister: Georgian-Ossetian Police Force to Set up
Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava said that Tbilisi has agreed with South Ossetia, as well as Russia?s North Ossetian Republic, to set up a joint, 100-strong ?police structure? to fight against crime ?on the entire territory? of Georgia?s breakaway South Ossetia. He said it will be a ?tri-lateral ? Georgian, South Ossetian …
Chief of Customs Office Sacked
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania announced at the government?s session on February 2, that Giorgi Godabrelidze, Chairman of the Customs Department, was dismissed. He said that Deputy Finance Minister Zurab Anteladze will replace Godabrelidze. The Prime Minister said that there are ?more possibilities? in the Customs Department for increasing customs incomes. This post is also available …
Defense Minister Rules Out South Ossetia Link to Gori Blast
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said that forces behind the terrorist act in Gori were aimed at escalating tensions between Georgians and Ossetians. ?These people [behind the terrorist act] wanted us to blame the South Ossetian side and drag us into conflict,? Irakli Okruashvili said in an interview to the Imedi television late on February 1. He said …
NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative Visits Georgia
The NATO Secretary General’s special representative for the Caucasus and central Asia countries Robert Simmons will visit Georgia on February 2-6, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. Robert Simons, who is also NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Security Cooperation and Partnership, will hold talks with the Georgian President, the Prime Minister, the State Minister for …
Georgia Blames ‘Anti-Peace’ Forces for Deadly Blast
Blast site outside police department in Gori. REUTERS photo President Mikheil Saakashvili blamed Georgia’s “enemies” and “forces which are against peace” for a Tuesday car bomb explosion outside the police department in the town of Gori, which killed three policemen and injured 27 other people. Saakashvili made an evening televised addressed to the nation on February 1 …
Saakashvili Addresses Nation after Deadly Blast in Gori
In his televised address to nation on February 1 President Mikheil Saakashvili described the powerful car bomb explosion in Gori as ?a political terrorist act with far-reaching goals? masterminded ?by those forces, which do not want Georgia to develop and strengthen.? Saakashvili also called on the nation for consolidation, as well as for ?support and …
01/02/2005 - 21:28
National Security Council Session Convened over Gori Blast
President Mikheil Saakashvili convened an emergency session of the Georgian National Security Council to discuss the car explosion that happened outside the police department in the town of Gori and which resulted in the death of three policemen. Alana Gagloeva, a spokesperson of the Georgian President, said that Mikheil Saakashvili plans to make a public statement regarding the incident …
Details of U.S. Military Assistance Program Unveiled
On February 1 the Georgian Defense Ministry started recruitment of servicemen for participation in a new U.S. military assistance program ? Sustainment and Stability Operations Program (SSOP), which will focus on training Georgian soldiers for coalition support. For the fiscal year 2005, the U.S. Government is allocating $60.5M for the SSOP, the U.S. Embassy in Georgia reported. …
Senior Russian Senator Hails Proposal to Monitor Pankisi
Sergei Mironov, the Chairman of the Council of Federation of Russia, the upper house of the Russian Parliament, said Russia welcomes proposals over carrying out international monitoring of Georgia?s Pankisi gorge. Recently Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said that Georgia is ready to welcome an international group, including representatives from Russia, to monitor the Pankisi gorge, …
Tskhinvali Condemns Terrorist Act in Gori
Authorities in Georgia?s breakaway South Ossetia condemned the terrorist act in the central Georgian town of Gori and warned the Georgian side not to link the car bomb explosion, which resulted in death of three policemen, to South Ossetia. ?Any attempts to use terrorist acts for escalating the confrontation between Georgians and Ossetians will only trigger an escalation of …
Lavrov: OSCE Border Operation is in Process of Closure
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met with visiting Chairman-in-Office of OSCE and Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel in Moscow on February 1, said that the issue of OSCE border monitoring mission at the Russian-Georgian border was not discussed during the talks, Interfax news agency reported. ?The mission is in the process of closure. It …
Georgian Police Targeted on Smuggling Faultlines
Georgian officials have already classified a car explosion outside the police department in the town of Gori as a terrorist act. According to the official reports an explosion killed three policemen and injured more than ten people – both policeman and bystanders. Gori explosion is the last and most serious in the series of attacks …
Officials: Gori Blast ‘Well-Organized’ Terrorist Act
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said a car explosion outside the police department in the central Georgian town of Gori, which is in the Shida Kartli region, “was a well-organized terrorist act.” He said that three policemen were killed as a result of explosion. Reports also claim that more than 10 persons are injured. Chief of the Investigation …
At Least Three Die in Gori Blast
At least three persons died and several other were injured as a result of a car explosion outside the police department in the central Georgian town of Gori on February 1. ?I can not say whether it was a terrorist act or not yet. Three persons are reported dead. There are several wounded persons as well …
NATO Envoy to Visit Georgia
NATO Secretary General?s special representative for Caucasus and central Asia countries Robert Simmons will visit Georgia on February 2-6, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported.During the visit Robert Simons, who is also NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Security Cooperation and Partnership, will hold talks with the Georgian President, the Prime Minister, the State Minister for …
Russia Hails UN Resolution on Abkhazia
In an information note issued on January 31, the Russian Foreign Ministry welcomed the UN Security Council’s resolution on Georgia as ?a step towards promoting the resumption of talks between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides.? The Russian Foreign Ministry also focused on those requirements of the resolution which envisage joint patrolling of the Kodori gorge by UN …
BTC Co. Grants $9 mln to Georgia
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Company (BTC Co.), led by BP, granted USD 9 million to the Georgian government as part of a new grant program for Georgia. The program, which was signed between the BTC Co. and the Georgian government last October, envisages the allocation of USD 40 million over the next 5 years. The Georgian Government plans to direct …
GYLA will appeal to the Constitutional Coart regarding the “Law on Financial Amnesty”
A Law on tax and financial amnesty will be in force starting from January 25. The law, which was approved by the Georgian Parliament on December 24, 2004, envisages amnesty for those persons who evaded paying taxes before January 1, 2004, as well as legalization of undeclared property and finances.The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association considers …
Human Rights Watch Welcomes Conviction of Assailant Ex-Priest
On February 1, The Human Rights Watch said that the Georgian government ?has taken an important step towards ending impunity for religious violence? by convicting the defrocked Orthodox priest Basil Mkalavishvili, who was responsible for violent attacks against religious minorities from 1999 to 2003. Mkalavishvili, who was found guilty of masterminding and carrying out organized violence against Jehovah’s Witnesses …
PM: Privatization of Gas Pipelines Currently not on Agenda
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said, on January 31, that privatization of the gas pipeline system, including the Tbilisi gas distributing company Tbilgazi, ?is not on the agenda currently.? ?During talks with representatives from [Russian energy giant] Gazprom [on January 21], I said that we should not touch the issue of privatizing gas pipelines. We [the authorities] should …
31/01/2005 - 19:46
PM Speaks of Shipping Company Privatization
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said on January 31 that the Georgian Ocean Shipping Company was purchased by Armstrong Holding for USD 161 million. This statement is a reversal of the Georgian government?s earlier announcement that the Shipping Company was privatized by a British-Austrian consortium led by ASP Ship Management Company. ?It was my mistake, when I …
Opposition Activist Alleges Abkhaz Link in Georgia’s Privatization
Leader of the newly set up opposition movement Go Forward Georgia (Tsin Sakartvelo) Irakli Batiashvili accused the Georgian government, on January 31, of neglecting the country’s national interests in the privatization policy. In particular, he alleged that the Russian company EvrAzHolding, which purchased the Chiatura manganese factory in western Georgia, “might be financing Abkhazia’s current leadership.” He …
Assailant Ex-Priest Sentenced to 6-Year Imprisonment
On January 31 a Tbilisi court found Basil Mkalavishvili guilty of masterminding and carrying out organized violence against Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baptist-Evangelists and burning their religious literature and sentenced him to 6 years of imprisonment. Basil Mkalavishvili was arrested in a police raid at a Church last March. Mkalavishvili was excommunicated in 1995, after he criticized the Orthodox Church leadership for not taking …
Policeman Dies in Shooting in Abkhaz Conflict Zone
One Georgian policeman was killed and three others injured last night after an unknown armed group opened fire on the checkpoint in the village of Shamgona, which is located in the Georgian-controlled territory of Abkhazian conflict zone in the Zugdidi district. Officials alleged that the attackers could have been the same criminals who are engaged in …
Tbilisi Ready for Talks with Sokhumi
In a statement issued on January 30, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced that the Georgian side is ready to resume negotiations with the Abkhaz side to peacefully solve the decade-old conflict. This statement comes just five days after President Saakashvili said at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe on January 26 …
Burjanadze Seeks to Increase Parliament’s Watchdog Functions
In an interview with the Georgian daily 24 Hours, published on January 29, Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said that she thinks “seriously about strengthening Parliament’s role.” She said that the Parliament should increase its watchdog functions. “I think the Parliament fails to fully implement those functions which it has to. I don’t mean the legislative work. I …
30/01/2005 - 17:30
Georgia Invites International Observers to Monitor Pankisi
Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said in an interview with the Georgian daily 24 Hours that Georgia is ready to welcome an international group, including representatives from Russia, to monitor the Pankisi gorge, in an attempt to disavow Russia?s allegations over the presence of Chechen rebels in this north-eastern part of Georgia, near the Russian border.Burjanadze said that …
Georgian President Meets Turkish PM in Davos
President Mikheil Saakashvili held talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 28, Anadolu news agency reported. President Saakashvili said that Turkey is an important country in the region and Tbilisi seeks more Turkish investments in Georgia. This post is also available in: …
Georgia Hails Iraqi Elections
In a statement issued on January 29, the Georgian Foreign Ministry welcomed the first multi-party elections for 50 years in Iraq, which were held on January 30. ?This is a historic event, not only for this country but for the entire Middle East region; while holding of such elections just two years ago was practically unimaginable? elections …
Abkhazia Agenda Overshadowed by South Ossetia
Last December President Mikheil Saakashvili instructed the government and requested civil society organizations to develop comprehensive settlement proposals for the conflicts in Georgia’s breakaway regions. It was thought that the development of such plans on Abkhazia was far advanced as compared to South Ossetia. However, Tbilisi has recently tabled peace proposals for South Ossetia and shelved plans for Abkhazia. Moreover, Georgian officials …
29/01/2005 - 17:10
Georgian Leadership Holds Talks with Potential Investors
President Mikheil Saakashvili, State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha Bendukidze and other Georgian top-level officials are holding talks with representatives from foreign companies in Davos, in an attempt to attract more investments in the country, the Georgian media reported on January 29. ?We have already held talks with the leading insurance company American International Group, Inc. …
Breakaway Abkhazia to Issue Passports
President-elect of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh said that, starting in spring, the de facto authorities will begin granting Abkhazian passport to the population living in the unrecognized republic. Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava said on January 28, while commenting on the news, that ?these will be so-called ‘internal passports,’ which cannot be used abroad.? …
UNOMIG Mandate Extended
On January 28 the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until 31 July, 2005 and also called for a settlement of the Abkhaz conflict with the respect of Georgia?s territorial integrity, the UN press center reported. The UN Security Council stressed the need to define the status of …
Georgia, Venice Commission Work over South Ossetia Status
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili said, after talks with the delegation of the Venice Commission on January 28, that the Georgian authorities have started formalizing the proposals for a South Ossetian peace plan, which were unveiled by President Saakashvili at a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe on January 26. The Venice Commission, which is the …
28/01/2005 - 19:39
Tbilisi Insists ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ in Abkhazia be Recognized
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania linked resumption of talks with the Abkhaz side to the recognition of, as he put it, an “ethnic cleansing of Georgians” that took place in Abkhazia during the armed conflict in 1992-93.“The most important thing is that a tragic fact must be recognized to continue talks on Abkhazia – ethnic cleansing …
Government Reconsiders Plan on Judicial Reform
The Georgian government has decided to reconsider its controversial initial plan regarding the reformation of the Constitutional Court. Last December President Saakashvili proposed a number of constitutional amendments for consideration, including a proposal to change the rule over construction of the nine-member Constitutional Court. The proposed rule gives the President the right to nominate all nine members of the Constitutional Court for …
Russian MFA Backs PACE Resolution on Georgia
In an information note issued on January 28, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed support towards the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe on January 25 over honoring obligations and commitments by Georgia The statement reads: ?the calls towards the Georgian authorities voiced by the PACE are important.? The Russian Foreign Ministry underlined the importance …
Russia Responds to Georgia’s UN Envoy Criticism
In an information note issued on January 28 the Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed Georgian representative to the UN Revaz Adamia’s allegations that the Russian side blocked him from participation in a UN Security Council session which focused on the Abkhaz conflict on January 25. “When the report of the UN Secretary General over the prolongation of the UN mission’s mandate …
Bagapsh: Secessionist Regions Coordinate Policy
President-elect of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh, who is visiting Moscow, said in an interview with the Echo Moskvy radio station on January 27 that the unrecognized republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Moldova?s breakaway region of Transdnestria, as well as Nagorno-Karabakh, are attempting to carry out a coordinated policy. The leaders of separatist regions of the CIS …
Abkhaz President-Elect Comments on Georgian IDPs
In an interview with the Moscow based Echo Moskvy radio station on January 27 President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh said that the Georgian internally displaced persons who were forced to flee Abkhazia as a result of the 1992-93 war are gradually returning to the region; however he added that the Abkhaz side ?strictly controls? the movement of …
Georgian, Ukrainian PMs Held Talks
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania held phone conversation with acting Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko on January 27. The Georgian and Ukrainian Prime Ministers intend to hold a meeting in February, when a session of the Ukrainian-Georgian government commission is scheduled. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
27/01/2005 - 20:20
Page 596 of 762
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)