Vladimir Sanakoyev recently opened a campaign in South Ossetia called "Kokoity Fandarast," meaning "Farewell, Kokoity" in Ossetian. The campaign's goal is to peacefully get rid of Eduard Kokoity, Sanakoyev said. If you could say "fandarast" to one world political leader, who would it be and why? (view responses)
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Sanakoyev campaign hopes to be a fitting send-off for secessionist leader
The official launch of the "Farewell Kokoity" campaign took place in Tbilisi on August 5.Vladimir Sanakoyev, leader of the South Ossetian People for Peace movement, launched the event, restating his organization's aim of peacefully pressuring Eduard Kokoity, de facto head of the breakaway South Ossetia region, to step down from his position. (more)
Town officials in Kakheti are latest to go down on corruption charges On August 2, the Financial Police of Kakheti province arrested ten Lagodekhi municipality officials on charges of embezzling the town's money.The head of the Kakheti Financial Police, Giorgi Koghoshvili, reported that the officials are accused of misappropriating money for a tender they oversaw. (more)
Tbilisi Supervisory Service orders owners of abandoned buildings to fix up their properties
The owners of three abandoned and uncompleted Tbilisi buildings were given 25 days to either restart construction or close the sites down-or be fined GEL 35 000 by the Tbilisi Supervisory Service. (more)
News in Brief

Will social protests stir political waters?
Georgians have become prone to protesting. When the government impinges on the interests of a few, they have little recourse other than taking to the streets with gusto. Protests under the Rose administration, however, rarely achieve anything beyond token concessions. Instead, their greatest utility is for a political opposition which eagerly hops on the backs of aggrieved citizens for a free ride to publicity. (more)


Six companies to participate in Nabucco project
German energy outfit RWE AG is the sixth company to be involved in the Nabucco natural gas pipeline project, announced the Turkish Ministry of Energy. RWE AG joins Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Turkish BOTAS, Bulgarian Bulgargaz and Romanian Transgaz, according to the news agency Regnum. (more)
Good prospects for great harvest may be bad news
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Alexandre Tsintsadze announced that Georgia will harvest 200 000 tons of grapes this year. Last year, vineyards produced 130 000 tons. Good weather and 3 000 hectares of new vineyards are to thank for the bumper harvest, writes the newspaper Basta. (more)
Gazprom owes Georgia USD 2 million in unpaid transit tariffs
Russian energy giant Gazprom owes Georgia USD 2 million, said the general director of the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, Alexandre Khetaguri. (more)
Azerbaijan has a foreign trade surplus, barely
In the first half of 2007, Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover reached USD 4.986 billion.
In the six month period, writes the news agency Regnum, Azerbaijan exported 1910 different types of goods at a total value of USD 2.532 billion, while importing 5844 different types of goods worth USD 2.454 billion. (more)


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