Tuesday, August 14, 2007, #154 (1421)

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to visit Georgia
On September 20 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will visit Georgia to participate in the opening ceremony for the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad.

President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and Prime Minister of Turkey Rejep Tayyip Erdogan will also participate in the ceremony.

The railroad will connect the transport systems of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Azerbaijan is to loan Georgia USD 120 million, to be paid back over 25 years at one percent annual interest rate, for the construction of the Georgian part of the railroad. The International Bank of Azerbaijan will allocate the first part of the loan to Railway Marabda-Kartsakhi Ltd., the operator of the Georgian part of the project.

Initially the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad will have the capacity to carry five million tons of freight, but is slated to eventually increase.
(Black Sea Press)

Abkhaz youth hold rally near bridge across Inguri river
On August 13 Abkhaz youth held a a silent rally near the bridge across the Inguri river to mark fifteen years since beginning of the war in Abkhazia, according to Mze TV.

Representatives of Abkhaz youth NGOs and students marched toward Sukhomi, carrying banners with phrases such as "Abkhazia Gained its Independence by Blood."

The two-day rally will end with a morning meeting in Sokhumi.

The event was apparently organized by the youth organization Aidgilara.

Rallies marking the beginning of the war in Abkhazia are planned to be held in Tbilisi and other cities of Georgia.
(Black Sea Press)

Georgian Academy protests evictions
Members of the Georgian Academy society are protesting the eviction of organizations from the building of the publishing house Samshoblo.

"The careless and inert attitude of society towards this fact raises doubts that there is any society in Georgia today," members of the organisation, composed of members of the intelligentsia, stated.

Last week the Ministry of Economic Development evicted around 90 organizations from Kostava Street 14 in Tbilisi. These organizations included TV companies Kavkasia and Mir, newspapers Asaval-Dasavali, Svobodnaia Gruzia, Vecherni Tbilisi and others.

Ilia Gotsiridze, head of the Privatization Department at the Ministry of Economic Development, told journalists that some organisations would stay in the building, listing Giorgis Ltd, Khibula Ltd, Weber Ltd, Festival Ltd, GSC Ltd, Pharmatrade Ltd and private resident Viktor Japaridze.

The property is apparently worth USD 20 million.
(Prime News)

Tbilisi water company for sale
Tbilisi municipality-owned company Tbilisi Water, which supplies the city with drinking water, is included on the list of assets to be privatized.

Jinvali HPP, which supplies Mtskheta with water, and the Cleaning Facilities of Gardabani Sewage System are also for sale.

The deadline for applications is September 20.

Applicants should present a price, development action plan, volume of investment and dates.
(Prime News)

Street vendors rally on Dry Bridge
Street vendors protested on Dry Bridge on August 13.

They are against having to relocate to the nearby antiques market, demanding their own area to trade.

Police evicted the vendors from the Dry Bridge market last week for unlicensed trading.
(Prime News)



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