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Tskhinvali, Moscow, OSCE Condemn Attacks on Peacekeepers
The Chairman-in-Office for the OSCE, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, as well as the Russian Foreign Ministry and the authorities of breakaway South Ossetian expressed concern on October 13 regarding the deaths of two Ossetian members of the joint Russian-Georgian-Ossetian peacekeeping force stationed in the South Ossetian conflict zone. An armed assault on a vehicle …
13/10/2004 - 23:29
Saakashvili Comments on Abkhazia Elections
In his first comments regarding the crisis in Abkhazia, which broke out in the breakaway region after highly-disputed presidential elections took place on October 3, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili denounced the polls as illegitimate, but added that ?the most anti-Georgian forces? failed to deliver their scenario of elections. Mikheil Saakashvili was speaking with Georgian reporters while visiting Estonia on October …
Parliament Passes Controversial Proposal Regarding By-Elections
The Georgian Parliament approved an amendment to the election code on October 12 which says that the participation of one-third of all eligible voters will not be necessary to declare by-elections valid. Hence, the upcoming MP by-elections in Tbilisi?s two ? Krtsanisi and Didube – single-mandate constituencies as well as in the Zestaponi and Gori provincial constituencies, …
Three MPs Quit Parliamentary Majority
MPs Giga Bukia, Bidzina Gujabidze and Giorgi Tsanava announced their intention today to leave the parliamentary majority, which is represented by the ruling National Movement-Democrats party. Their protest was triggered by a refusal by the Parliament on October 12 to set up a special investigative commission to study the reasons behind the death of Georgia?s late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Reportedly, …
Vershbow: US Urges Restraint in South Ossetia after Kokoshin Incident
In an online interview with Russia’s Gazeta.ru website US Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow said that the United States “strongly urged” Georgian authorities to de-escalate the conflict in South Ossetia after the “August incident when the convoy of [Russian MP Andrey] Kokoshin came under fire.” Chairman of the Russian Duma Committee on relations with CIS Andrey …
Abkhaz President-Elect Calls All-Abkhaz Convent
Sergey Bagapsh, whose announcement as President-elect was challenged by the outgoing president Vladislav Ardzinba, called all-Abkhaz National gathering (Convent) to take place on October 14 and arbitrate the dispute. The Convent is scheduled to take place in the center of the Abkhaz capital, Sokhumi. The National Convent dates back to medieval tradition, and is supposed to …
Parliament Agrees to Develop Georgia’s Security Concept
The Georgian Parliament unanimously adopted a decree on October 12, which will instruct the National Security Council to develop a national security doctrine for Georgia. The proposal was initiated by Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Defense and Security, MP Nika Rurua. The national security concept will outline the key internal and external political …
Georgian Ex-Peacekeeper Chief Arrested
Mikheil Kebadze, ex-commander of the Georgian peacekeeping battalion stationed in the breakaway South Ossetian conflict zone, was arrested on October 13. He is accused of illegal possession of ?large number of arms.? Deputy Security Minister Batu Kutelia said that the investigation tries to find out whether Mikheil Kebadze was involved in illegal arms trade. This …
Khajimba’s Supporters Rally
Supporters of the pro-governmental presidential candidate Raul Khajimba gathered on October 12 in the Sokhumi Philharmonic Hall to express protest regarding the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC), which declared opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh the president-elect. According to the Sokhumi-based Abkhaziya.info web-site the supporters vowed that they will keep protesting till “the legal and …
Russian MP: Georgian Maneuvers Escalate Tensions in South Ossetia
Three-hour long maneuvers near the conflict zone were supervised by Security Minister and Commander of the Internal Troops. Chairman of the Russian Parliamentary Committee for Commonwealth of Independent States Andrey Kokoshin said on October 12 that the military maneuvers of those kind which were held by the Georgian internal troops near the town of Gori …
Crisis Deepens in Abkhazia – Update
Bagapsh Tries to Unravel the Knot of Contested Abkhaz ElectionsOn October 10 Sergey Bagapsh, declared president-elect by the Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC), called for an all-Abkhaz National gathering (Convent) in an attempt to wrestle control from the outgoing Abkhaz authorities. This decision may lead to a potentially dangerous standoff. The crisis in Abkhazia, which …
12/10/2004 - 20:37
Ossetian Peacekeeper Dies in an Attack
One Ossetian peacekeeper died and two others were wounded in the South Ossetian conflict area on October 12, after the truck transporting the unit of the Ossetian Battalion of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces was attacked by unknown armed men, the Press and Information Committee of the South Ossetian unrecognized republic reported. The Georgian side has …
Acting Abkhaz PM: Court to Have Final Say on Elections
Acting Prime Minister of unrecognized Abkhazian Republic Nodar Khashba said on October 12 that the Supreme Court of the breakaway region ?will have final say on [October 3 presidential] elections.? Nodar Khashba, who was appointed as the Prime Minister after the crisis following the elections, was speaking during the meeting with the representatives of the …
UN Restores Georgia’s Right to Vote
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution on October 11 over restoration of Georgia’s right to vote at the UN until 30 June 2005, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported on October 12. Recently the Fifth Committee of the UN, which deals with budgetary and administrative issues, submitted this recommendation to the UN General Assembly. Georgia …
Internal Troops Hold Planned Military Exercises
The subdivisions of the Georgian Internal Troops held on October 12 planned military exercises in a village of Arashenda, the Gori region of eastern Georgia. Both aviation and artillery troops participated in the exercises. Along with the Internal Troops, the army reservists also took part in the exercises. Commander of the Georgian Internal Troops Gogi …
Ardzinba: “Crawling Coup” Takes Place in Abkhazia
Outgoing president of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba addressed the nation on October 12 and called “absurd” the decision of the Abkhaz CEC to announce Sergey Bagapsh the president-elect. Russian news agencies quote special address of Ardzinba: “Once again, we see the “law of the fist” applied in Abkhazia, which found vivid expression during so called democratic …
OSCE Welcomes Adoption of Ethics Code by Georgian MPs
On October 12 the Georgian parliamentarians signed a Code of Conduct which outlines principles and ethical norms to govern the behavior of the MPs. The document was developed with the assistance of the OSCE in cooperation with the non-governmental organization Transparency International. The Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia Ambassador Roy Reeve hailed the Georgian Parliament’s …
South Ossetian Special Forces Hold Maneuvers
The Press and Information Committee of breakaway South Ossetia reported that the special forces of the unrecognized republic have recently held routine exercises ?in one of the gorges in order to improve [their] capabilities in combating reconnaissance [enemy] units.? ?These kinds of exercises became necessary for an adequate response to a threat coming from a foreign enemy,? …
UN to Restore Georgia’s Right to Vote
The Fifth Committee of the UN, which deals with budgetary and administrative issues, has submitted recommendations to the UN General Assembly to restore Georgia’s right to vote at the UN, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported on October 11. “We hope, that these recommendations will be approved by the General Assembly without any remarks or corrections,” Deputy Foreign Minister …
Russian Foreign Minister: Abkhaz Elections Outcome ?Unclear?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that the outcome of the presidential elections in breakaway Abkhazia is not yet clear. ?I don?t have the latest news, but I?ve heard that the Central Election Commission has announced its decision, which was followed by the resignation of the Chairman of the …
Finance Minister to Address Economic Summit in Istanbul
Georgian Finance Minister Zurab Nogaideli left on October 12 for Istanbul, Turkey, to participate in the International Summit on Investments, Banking and Finance. Zurab Nogaideli will address the Summit over the ongoing reforms and current investment environment in Georgia. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Georgian Speaker Ready for Dialogues with Russian MPs
At a Parliamentary session on October 12 Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze expressed her readiness to hold bilateral dialogues with Russian MPs over the relations between Russia and Georgia. “I have numerously invited a Russian parliamentary delegation, including my counterpart Boris Grizlov, to Georgia. If our Russian colleagues cannot come to Georgia, we can send our parliamentary delegation to Moscow to …
Khajimba: CEC Decision Illegal
Pro-governmental presidential candidate Raul Khajimba condemned the Abkhaz Central Election Commission?s decision to declare his opponent Sergey Bagapsh the winner of the October 3 presidential elections in the breakaway region and called his supporters for protest rallies. ?The CEC decision is illegal. While we were trying to solve the [election] dispute in the court, our opponents, …
Georgian State Minister: Abkhaz People Reject Moscow’s Nominee
Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Goga Khaindrava said, while commenting on the decision by the Abkhaz Central Election Commission to declare opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh the president-elect, that the Abkhaz people rejected Moscow-backed Raul Khajimba as their President.“The most important thing in these events was that the Abkhaz people did not allow for appointment of [their] President …
Khajimba Challenges CEC Decision
Pro-governmental presidential candidate Raul Khajimba condemned the decision by the Abkhaz Central Election Commission (CEC), which declared opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh as the winner of the October 3 presidential elections in this unrecognized republic. ?If it is necessary we will hold protest rallies in order to restore justice,? Interfax news agency quoted Khajimba as saying, while addressing …
Reports: Abkhaz CEC Declares Bagapsh President-Elect
The Russian Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies reported that a majority of the 15-member Central Election Commission of the unrecognized Abkhaz Republic signed a protocol on October 11 declaring opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh the winner of the October 3 presidential elections. This decision adds confusion to the crisis, which has erupted in the breakaway region after …
11/10/2004 - 22:07
Judge Arrested for Suspected Bribe-Taking
On october 11 police arrested Alexandre Taliashvili, judge of the Didube-Chugureti district court of Tbilisi, who is accused of alleged corruption.Deputy Prosecutor General Batu Kutelia said at a news briefing that the judge “was arrested while taking USD 500 as a bribe.”A few months back a judge in the Batumi courts sysyem was also arrested for alleged bribery. This post is …
Saakashvili Tours Baltic States
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will leave for Estonia this evening as he begins his tour to the Baltic States, which will last until October 15. During the visit he will meet with his Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian counterparts to discuss bilateral ties. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Saakashvili Criticizes Customs Chief Again
President Saakashvili has again criticized Giorgi Godabrelidze, Chairman of the Customs Department, for, as the President put it, his failure to curb corruption in the customs sphere. ?I was not satisfied with the activities of the new chairman, since he failed to eradicate corruption in the Customs Department,? President Saakashvili told reporters on October 11. …
BTC Co. Grants USD 46 Million to Georgia
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Company (BTC Co.), led by BP, signed two new protocols with the Georgia government on October 10 that envisage new grant programs totaling more than USD 46 million, according to a press release issued by the BP Tbilisi Office on October 11. Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and Michael Townshend, Chief Executive Officer of …
Georgia Rotates Peacekeepers in Kosovo
129 Georgian peacekeepers left for Germany on October 11, where they will undergo a one-month training program and then depart for Kosovo, to replace the current Georgian peacekeeping unit there. The peacekeepers, which are operating within the German-Turkish and Bulgarian Task Force in Prizren, south-western Kosovo, will remain in the region for six months. This post is …
Georgian-Russian Border Temporarily Reopened
On October 10 the Russian side temporarily reopened its border with Georgia at the Larsi checkpoint, which has been closed since the hostage-taking tragedy in Beslan early last month. The border remained opened for several hours only, in order to allow citizens and trucks from both Georgia and Armenia to cross the border. According to the Georgian Border …
Georgian PM to Address Anti-Corruption Conference in Kenya
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania left for Kenya on October 11 to address an anti-corruption conference organized by Transparency International, an international non-governmental organization devoted to combating corruption world-wide. According to Transparency International?s (TI) 2003 report, Georgia was among the most corrupt states ranking 127th out of 133 countries listed. ?The situation has radically changed since then [2003]. Georgia …
Blast Reported in Sokhumi
A blast overnight hit in the center of the breakaway Abkhaz capital Sokhumi, shattering the windows of nearby buildings on October 11. No casualties were reported.Interfax news agency reported that the explosion occurred in a park, located near the election headquarters of the opposition presidential candidate Sergey Bagapsh. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Abkhaz Court to Discuss Gali Re-Vote
On October 11 the Supreme Court of the unrecognized Abkhazian Republic will discuss an appeal by the pro-governmental presidential candidate Raul Khajimba, who demands to cancel the Central Election Commission?s (CEC) decision to hold a presidential re-vote only in the Gali district.The CEC annulled the election results in the predominantly Georgian populated Gali district, citing numerous procedural violations …
Explosion Hits Power Line Again
Two towers of high-voltage power line were blown up on October 10 in western Georgia, following similar explosions at the Kartli-2 power line near the central Georgian town of Gori on October 9. Officials described both incidents as sabotage. Georgina Energy Minister Nika Gilauri told reporters that the power supply will be limited in eastern Georgia, including the …
Russian Peacekeeper Wounded in South Ossetia
An unknown armed man wounded a Russian peacekeeper in the village of Artsevi in the breakaway South Ossetian conflict zone late on October 9, Commander of the joint Russian-Georgian-Ossetian peacekeeping troops stationed in the area Marat Kulakhmetov told the Itar-Tass news agency. “An unknown civilian fired a gun, hitting a peacekeeper in the face,” the …
10/10/2004 - 17:31
Government to Propose Draft Law to Boost Reserve Forces
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on October 9 that he will submit a draft law to the Parliament which will ban the appointing people to official posts who refused to serve their military service and avoided undergoing training in the reserve forces. President Saakashvili, who visited training fields in Osiauri, in central Georgia and Sachkhere, in western Georgia, where two reserve battalions …
Saakashvili: Georgia will not Host Foreign Military Bases
President Mikheil Saakashvili reiterated on October 10 that Georgia will not allow any foreign state to deploy its military forces on Georgian soil.President Saakashvili was speaking to reporters at the Alekseevka military airfield near Tbilisi after a ceremony of handing over military uniforms, worth of USD 1,1 million, which were donated by the United States to the …
Explosion Hits Transmission Line
Georgian officials described the breakdown on the high-voltage power transmission line Kartli-2 on October 9 near the town of Gori, in central Georgia, as sabotage. As a result of the exposition at the transmission line power supplies were suspended to the capital Tbilisi for several hours. This is the second incident at the Kartli-2 power line in the last …
Acting Abkhaz PM: “Putin Sent Me”
News agency Regnum quotes acting Abkhaz Prime Minister Nodar Khashba as saying that he was sent to Abkhazia personally by Russian President Vladimir Putin.Meeting with the mothers who lost their loved ones in 1992-93 conflict in Georgia, Khashba said that he “was ordered to see President Putin” who told him “these [the Abkhaz] are your …
09/10/2004 - 17:46
Cautious Optimism as American Investors Explore Georgia
Q&A with the President of American-Georgian Business CouncilA conference, organized by the Washington-based American-Georgian Business Council, brought a group of Georgian and American businesspeople together in Tbilisi on October 7-8 to explore new opportunities of investment in Georgia. The Georgian authorities used the seventh annual conference to demonstrate those measures which have already been carried …
Sokhumi to Start Issuing Abkhaz Passports
Abkhazian de facto President Vladislav Ardzinba decreed on October 7 to grant Abkhazian passports to the citizens of the breakaway region starting from November 1. At the same time, the Abkhaz cabinet was instructed to ratify a provision on new passports, and the Interior Minister to develop the necessary procedures on granting, changing, accounting and keeping …
Saakashvili Slams Customs Chief
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili criticized on October 8 Giorgi Godabrelidze, the Chairman of the Customs Department and warned that he may dismiss customs chief if the latter fails to improve situation in the Customs Department in a month. ?If the state budget does not receive 15-20 million Lari from the customs within month, Giorgi Godabrelidze …
08/10/2004 - 20:29
Government Works over Draft Law on Tax Amnesty
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said on October 8 that the government will submit to the Parliament draft law envisaging amnesty for those businessmen who have evaded paying taxes before January 1, 2004. The proposal was discussed on Friday at the cabinet session chaired by President Mikheil Saakashvili. He said that businessmen are not to …
Two Georgian Soldiers Wounded in South Ossetia
Two Georgian soldiers, who are part of the joint Russian-Georgian-Ossetian peacekeeping troops stationed in the South Ossetian conflict zone, were wounded in the Georgian village of Tamarasheni on October 8. ?We were informed initially that one Georgian soldier was wounded at the peacekeepers? checkpoint in Tamarasheni. We, together with the Ossetian and Russian peacekeepers, went to …
Ex-Chief of Tbilisi Gas Distribution Company Arrested
Vakhtang Tsaava, who served as the General Director of the state-run Tbilisi gas distribution company Tbilgazi from 2002-2003, was arrested for alleged misuse of power and misappropriation of state funds, reported the Tbilisi Prosecutor?s Office on October 8. Chief Prosecutor of Tbilisi Giorgi Gviniashvili said that the criminal case was initiated in connection with financial fraud within the Tbilgazi company, which …
Saakashvili: Economic Growth Needed for Territorial Integrity
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said Tbilisi will be able to regain control over breakaway Abkhazia only if Georgia achieves economic growth. ?The road to Georgia?s territorial integrity lies along the country?s economic welfare and growth. We should show them [the Abkhaz] that it is better [to be] with us. We will return Abkhazia [to the …
NATO, Russia Defense Officials Spar over Georgia Bases
Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency quotes Russia’s Defense MInistry Spokesperson as saying: “We shall leave Georgia when we consider it necessary, when we reach a mutually-acceptable accord with the Georgian side on the withdrawal of our bases. At the same time, no opinions of third countries, including NATO ones, will be taken into account by us …
The third sector will guide through Ethics Code norms
Within the framework of CAP (Citizen Advocate Program) a presentation regarding the Ethics Code for Civil Society Organizations was held on September 26 at the Sheraton Metechi Palace. The work over the Code was launched in September 2003, however the discussions regarding the code and the necessity for its elaboration was put on the agenda …
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)