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Tax, Financial Amnesty Law Enters into Legal Force
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. As a result of enforcement of this …
25/01/2005 - 14:28
Saakashvili headed for Strasbourg
President Mikheil Saakashvili left for Strasbourg on Tuesday where he will address the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe on January 26 to speak about the resolution of the South Ossetian and Abkhazian conflicts. Initially it was planned that the President would unveil peace plans for both conflicts; however, as the Georgian officials say, Saakashvili will mainly focus …
Saakashvili Unveils Some Details of South Ossetia Status
At a news conference late on January 24, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili spoke about some of the details of the South Ossetia peace plan that he is expected to unveil at the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe in Strasbourg on January 26. He said that the Georgian authorities are ready to offer a ?wider status …
Venice Commission Helps to Draft South Ossetia Status
A group of experts from the Venice Commission, which is the Council of Europe (CoE) advisory body on constitutional issues, will visit Georgia on January 26-27 to help the Georgian authorities develop a legal document on the status of breakaway South Ossetia, the CoE press division reported. During their visit, experts from the Venice Commission will …
Breakaway Abkhazia Seeks for Full Independence
The Foreign Ministry of the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia claims that recognition of Abkhazia?s independence is very important to achieve peace and stability in the region. “In the long-term perspective, recognition of Abkhazia’s independence will be more important for regional stability than attempts to integrate Abkhazia with Georgia, that, at the current stage of Georgian-Abkhaz …
Tbilisi, Tskhinvali Exchange Captives
The Ossetian side released Lado Chalauri, the chief of police in the Eredvi village in the conflict zone, following the agreement reached at a special session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) on January 24. In response the Georgian side also released ethnic Ossetians, who were detained by the relatives and co-villagers of Lado …
PACE Endorses Critical Resolution on Georgia
The Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) approved a resolution (see draft resolution) on honoring obligations and commitments by Georgia at a session on January 24. Hungarian parliamentarian Matyas Eorsi, who was one of the co-rapporteurs on Georgia, said, during the discussion, that the resolution “is critical; but Friends should be critical.” Specifically, the draft calls on Georgia to …
24/01/2005 - 22:45
PACE Approved Resolution on Georgia
The Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) approved the resolution on honoring obligations and commitments by Georgia at the session on January 24 voicing criticism over number of issues, including ?an inadequate model? of autonomy in Adjara; high electoral threshold; constitutional changes of February 2004. The resolution notes that the ?Georgian authorities continue to demonstrate …
Georgian MP: Tbilisi, Tskhinvali Agree on Exchange of Captives
Georgian parliamentarian Guram Vakhtangashvili, who is elected in South Ossetia?s Georgian-populated Didi Liakhvi constituency, said that a special session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) reached an agreement over release of Lado Chalauri, the chief of police in the Eredvi village in the conflict zone. ?Along with Lado Chalauri, the Ossetians detained by the …
JCC Session Starts in Tskhinvali
Special session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC), involving representatives of the Georgian, Russian, South Ossetian and Russia?s North Ossetian sides, started on January 24 in South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali to discuss recent tensions in the conflict zone, which sparked after series of kidnappings organized by the both sides. ?Everything should be solved through …
Kokoev Visits Moscow
President of unrecognized South Ossetian Republic Eduard Kokoev is visiting Russian capital Moscow to discuss ?bilateral cooperation and economic issues,? RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting Irina Gagloeva, a spokesperson of the breakaway South Ossetian government. ?The [de facto] President does not intend to suspend his visit because of the current situation [involving hostage-taking incident] …
PACE Discusses Draft Resolution on Georgia
Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) will discuss a draft resolution on honoring of obligation and commitments by Georgia at the session on January 24. Initially, it was planned to discuss this issue at the session on January 26 ? on the same day, when President Saakashvili will address the PACE session and unveil …
Bagapsh, Khajimba Visit Moscow
Abkhaz President-elect Sergey Bagapsh and Vice-President Raul Khajimba are visiting Moscow, news agency RIA Novosti reported on January 24. The news agency reported that new leaders of the breakaway region will hold consultations with the Russian officials; however the names of these officials are not specified. The inauguration of Sergey Bagapsh, who won a landslide …
Kidnapper Kingpin Cleared of British Banker Abduction Charges
Peter Shaw shortly after his release on November 6, 2002. He was kept in hostage for 141 days. Shota Chichiashvili, who was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment for number of kidnapping cases, was cleared of charges involving abduction of British banker Peter Shaw in 2002, Georgian General Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on January 24. Earlier Georgian media …
Moscow Calls on Tskhinvali, Tbilisi for Restraint
In a statement issued on January 22 by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow called on the Georgian and South Ossetian sides ?to reject the hostage-taking practice, which may trigger chain reaction, unpredictable results and escalation of tension.? On January 22, 12 ethnic Ossetians, including Deputy Special Affairs Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Makhar Gasiyev, were kidnapped …
JCC Meeting Planned in Tskhinvali
Special session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC), involving representatives of the Georgian, Russian, South Ossetian and Russia?s North Ossetian sides, will be held on January 24 in Tskhinvali to discuss recent tensions in the conflict zone, which sparked after series of kidnappings organized by the both sides. ?The South Ossetian side offered other …
Tbilisi Calls for Restraint in Hostage-Taking Crisis
Breakaway South Ossetian Deputy Special Affairs Minister, who was kidnapped on January 22, was released later on the same day; however situation in the conflict zone remains tense as one Georgia policeman and several Ossetians are still kept in hostage by the conflicting sides.Reports say that special session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC), …
23/01/2005 - 18:46
South Ossetian Official Released
Deputy Special Affairs Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Makhar Gasiyev was released late on January 22, Aleksandre Sukhitashvili, chief of the Georgia?s Shida Kartli regional police department, told reporters.However, reportedly 11 other Ossetians still remain in hostage.South Ossetian official together with 11 other Ossetians were detained on January 22 reportedly by the relatives and co-villagers …
Georgia to Reopen U.S. Diplomat Murder Case
Georgian authorities changed earlier position and decided to reinvestigate murder case of Freddy Woodruff, an officer of the political department of the US Embassy in Tbilisi, who was assassinated in Georgia more than ten years ago. ?The [Georgian] General Prosecutor?s Office intends to reopen murder case of the American diplomat. I have discussed the issue …
22/01/2005 - 18:38
Saakashvili Comments on Hostage-Taking in South Ossetia
At a session of the Georgian National Security Council on January 22 President Mikheil Saakashvili commented regarding the hostage-taking crisis in breakaway South Ossetia and said that Georgia should ?avoid provocations? in the conflict zone. He also questioned effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping troops deployed in the conflict zone. ?We do not need confrontation; we …
Ossetian Reports: South Ossetian Speaker, Georgian PM Held Talks
Chairman of the breakaway South Ossetian Parliament Znaur Gasiyev held a phone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania twice on January 22 to discuss hostage-taking crisis in the South Ossetian conflict zone, Press and Information Committee of South Ossetian reported. Spokesman of the Georgian Prime Minister also confirmed this report. But, the Georgian officials? …
New Political Party Set up
Several former members of the opposition Labor Party, led by Shalva Natelashvili, announced on January 22, that they establish new political party National Union of Georgian Labors. Leaders of the newly set up party Kakha Loria and Tamaz Goladze quitted the Labor Party after disagreements with the chairman of the party Shalva Natelashvili. Leader of …
Burjanadze to Attend Yushchenko Inauguration
Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze arrived on January 22 in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to attend presidential inauguration of Victor Yushchenko, scheduled for January 23. Nino Burjanadze has already met with Ukrainian President-elect Victor Yushchenko and congratulated on his victory in elections. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Hostage-Taking Crisis Fuels Tensions in South Ossetia
Deputy Special Affairs Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Makhar Gasiyev was abducted together with several other Ossetian civilians in the South Ossetian conflict zone by a group of unknown persons on January 22. The recent incident added fuel to tensions, which have flared-up after the South Ossetian side detained two Georgian policemen in the conflict …
South Ossetian Official Abducted
Deputy Special Affairs Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Makhar Gasiyev was detained by the by unknown persons on January 22, Press and Information Committee of South Ossetia reported. Georgian media also reported that the Georgian side has detained up to 12 Ossetians, including official of the breakaway region?s government. No other details of the incident …
Tskhinvali Insists on Exchange of Captives
Press and Information Committee of unrecognized South Ossetian Republic issued a statement on January 21 saying that the South Ossetian side will release Georgian policemen Lado Chalauri only in case the Georgian side hands over Oleg Pukhaev, an ethnic Ossetian arrested by the Georgian police on January 19.According to this statement arrested Georgian policeman is …
Abkhaz PM: Sokhumi Rejects Integration into Georgia
Prime Minister of breakaway Abkhazia Nodar Khashba said that Abkhazia is a sovereign republic and Sokhumi will not revise its position regarding the region?s status, Interfax news agency reported on January 21.?Proposal over Abkhazia?s integration into Georgia is unacceptable. Our people made final choice and voted for Abkhazia?s independence in a referendum in 1999,? Nodar …
Parliamentary Majority Leader Responds to CoE Criticism
In an interview to the Georgian daily 24 Hours leader of the National Movement parliamentary faction MP Maia Nadiradze spoke about the criticism voiced in the draft resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) over ?an inadequate model of autonomy in Adjara? and high electoral threshold, which is an obstacle for ?a …
21/01/2005 - 20:26
Gazprom Eyes Georgian Pipelines
Visiting representative of the Russian energy giant Gazprom told reporters in Tbilisi on January 21 that the company is interested in privatizing Georgian gas pipeline system. However, Georgian officials say that no final decision over privatizing gas pipelines has been made so far. ?We are very cautious over this issue. Currently there are no plans …
Russian Companies Bid for Locomotive Producing Factory
Three Russian companies made their bids for purchasing of controlling shares of the ElmavalMshenebeli factory in Tbilisi, which produces electric locomotives, the Georgian Economy Ministry reported.Georgian government put on the privatization only 51% of shares of the ElmavalMshenebeli factory for starting price of USD 3 million. The rest of the shares will remain under the …
Kidnapper Kingpin Sentenced to 22 Years Imprisonment
The Georgian Supreme Court found Shota Chichiashvili guilty of number of high-profile abduction, as well as murder cases and sentenced him to 22 years of imprisonment in high-security prison on January 21. Shota Chichiashvili, 29, was accused of kidnappings of two Spanish businessmen in 2000, Georgian Parliamentarian Petre Tsiskarishvili and the British banker Peter Shaw …
Troops Pull out from Pankisi
Units of the Georgian Internal Troops have been pulled out from north-western mountainous Pankisi gorge. ?Patrol Police will replace troops there,? Guram Donadze, Interior Ministry spokesman told Civil Georgia on January 21. Checkpoints of the Interior Troops were also removed from the gorge. Interior Ministry troops were deployed in the gorge in 2002, after Russia?s …
Russian Peacekeeper Dies in South Ossetia
Russian peacekeeper was found dead near the village of Kekhvi in the South Ossetian conflict zone on January 21. Georgian media reported that the Russian peacekeeper committed suicide. However, the Russian peacekeeping officials refrain to comment on reasons of death. ?I will not make comments yet,? Marat Kulakhmetov, the Commander of the Russian peacekeeping battalion …
Government Expects USD 250-300 mln from Privatization
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said at the government session on January 20 that instead of USD 100-150 million, as it was initially planned, the Georgian government expects 250-300 million from the privatization process in 2005. The expectations were revised upwards after the Chiatura Manganese Factory privatisation netted 132 million USD, well above the planned …
Annan: Abkhazia Peace Talks Frozen
In his latest report issued on January 20 UN Secretary General Kofi Annan noted that with dialogue in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict frozen for much of last year, the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) remains vital in preventing a flare-up of the hostilities in the breakaway region and recommended the UN Security Council to prolong …
South Ossetian Side Released Georgian Policeman
Gocha Gvimradze, a Georgian policeman who was abducted early on January 20 in the South Ossetian conflict zone, was released later on Thursday by the South Ossetian side. However, another policeman, who was detained together with Gvimradze, still remains under custody in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali. According to the Georgian officials the South Ossetian …
20/01/2005 - 22:11
Mexican Telcel Bids for Georgian Telecom
Georgian Economy Minister Lexo Alexishvili said on January 20 that the Mexican company Telcel made a bid for privatizing controlling shares of the Georgian Telecom. State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha Bendukidze said that Georgia can not take decision over selling its shares and has to consult at first with other shareholders of the Telecom. The …
Georgia Plans to Relocate Some State Offices from Tbilisi
Georgian State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha Bendukidze presented on January 20 at the government?s session draft plan over ?Reforming Management of Governmental Structures? which envisages relocation of some of the governmental office from capital city Tbilisi in different towns of Georgia. ?We should start consideration of relocation, for example National Bank and regulatory commissions, …
Tbilisi Negotiates with Tskhinvali over Release of Policemen
Representatives of the Georgian side are holding talks with the authorities of breakaway South Ossetian over release of two Georgian policemen, who were detained early on January 20 in the village of Ergneti in the South Ossetian conflict zone. According to the Georgian officials the South Ossetian side demands release of Oleg Pukhaev, an Ossetian …
Officials Speak about Details of Chiatura Manganese Privatization
Georgian Economy Minister Lexo Alexishvili and State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha Bendukidze dismissed Ukrainian company Interpipe?s allegation that privatization process of Chiatura manganese mining was non-transparent, as ?absurd? and explained Georgian government?s decision to sell the enterprise to the Russian EvrAzHolding and Austrian-Georgian DCM-Ferro as an attempt to avoid ?corporate war? in Georgia.The Ukrainian giant …
Tskhinvali Confirms Appointment of Ex-Russian Official as Security Chief
Foreign Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Murad Jioyev confirmed on January 19, that Russian citizen Anatoly Yarovoy was appointed as chief of the unrecognized republic?s security service. Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili condemned on January 17 this appointment of Yarovoy, who previously served as a chief of the Security Service of the Russia?s Mordovia Republic. …
Saakashvili Reiterates Georgia will not Host Foreign Military Bases
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili reiterated in an interview to the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, that Georgia will not deploy military bases of third county on its soil; however added it will be difficult to formulate this provision in the comprehensive framework agreement between Georgia and Russia, as demanded by Moscow. According to the Russian …
Georgian Policemen Abducted in South Ossetian Conflict Zone
Reports say two Georgian policemen were kidnapped early on January 20 by unknown armed group from the village of Ergneti, which is near the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali. ?No information about kidnapped policemen is available yet,? Koba Lachkebiani, the Commander of the Georgian peacekeeping battalion, deployed in the South Ossetian conflict zone, told Imedi television. …
Saakashvili to Address South Ossetia with Peace Proposal
In an interview to the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty published on January 19, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said that he will address Ossetian population on January 21 and unveil South Ossetian peace plan. ?This [peace plan] will be unprecedented proposal over peace settlement of the conflict,? Mikheil Saakashvili said. ?I offered non-governmental organization of Georgia …
Proposed Constitutional Changes Cast Controversy
Many observers fear that after proposed reforms, the judiciary will further become dependent on the executive authorities. Last December, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a number of constitutional changes that included reforming the judicial system of the country. However, many observers fear that after these proposed reforms, the judiciary will further become dependent on the …
19/01/2005 - 19:58
Police Clash with ‘Smugglers’ in Azeri-Populated Kvemo Kartli
A clash occurred between the Financial Police and a group of local residents of Vakhtangisi village in the Kvemo Kartli region after the police seized goods, which allegedly was smuggled from neighboring Azerbaijan, on January 19.This is a second case of incident of this kind in the region, which is predominately populated by the ethnic …
Russian Defense Minister Says Moscow Concerned over Pankisi
Russian Defense Minister told reporters on January 19 that Georgia?s Pankisi gorge represents ?a source of concern? for Russia, RIA Novosti news agency reported. The Russian Embassy in Georgia issued a statement on January 17 noting that a ?terrorism threat coming from Georgia? due to the presence of Chechen militants there, ?is still maintained and …
Russian Foreign Minister Outlines Agenda of Georgian Visit
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on January 19, that he will discuss broad range of issues related to the bilateral relations between Georgia and Russia during his visit in Tbilisi, scheduled for February 18. At a news conference in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov listed comprehensive framework agreement between Georgia and Russia, as well as proposal …
Lavrov Speaks of Reasons of Russia’s Veto on OSCE Border Monitoring
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on January 19, that Russia’s decision to veto prolongation of the OSCE Border Monitoring Operation (BMO) on the Russian-Georgian border was triggered by “pragmatic considerations” adding that this decision should not be perceived as Moscow’s “political diversion.” He said that 15 million euros were spent for BMO annually. “This …
EvrAzHolding Wins Chiatura Manganese Plant
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania stated that the joint bid of Russian “EvrAzHolding” and Georgian-Austrian “DMC-Ferro” was selected as a winner in privatisation offer for Chiatura manganese factory and Vartsikhe hydro power plant. The joint bid won over the offer of Ukraine’s “Interpipe”. Initially, each of the three companies submitted separate bids, however later EvrAzHolding and “DMC …
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)