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The News in Brief

Friday, August 7
Three candidates for General Director go through to second phase

Giorgi Chanturia, Zviad Koridze and Giorgi Kacharava have gone through to the second phase of the competition to become General Director of Georgian Public Broadcasting.

Giorgi Chanturia received 6 votes from Board members in the first round, Zviad Koridze 7 and Giorgi Kacharava also 7. Erosi Kitsmarishvili and Temur Koridze took 1 vote and Lali Moroshkina none. Three votes received Marina Salukvadze and Giorgi Gumberidze gained 3, and Zurab Maghalashvili 2. The other candidacies didn’t receive any votes. Of the 16 applicants one, Giorgi Tsikhiseli, withdrew his candidacy.

5 and more votes were needed to go through to the second phase of the selection process. The three candidates will be interviewed today in a live broadcast. After a secret ballot the winner will also be announced in a live broadcast. (Interpressnews)



August 7 Movement appeals to Georgians from Gori Fortress

The August 7 Movement made a statement outside Gori Fortress yesterday. They called on the people to keep a minute’s silence in memory of those who fell in the war at 15.00 today.

Movement member Giorgi Mamatava read out the appeal. It calls on people to reunite regardless of their different points of view. “We believe that with joint effort, firmness and belief we will make the Russian occupiers leave our territories. Georgian patriots! Let’s unite our hearts to show the Russian occupiers they can’t dismember and crush us!” the appeal reads.

The movement also wants the country to declare August 7 the day of Georgia’s reintegration. (Interpressnews)



US, Georgia sign agreement on cooperation in scientific area

A new agreement has been signed within the framework of the US-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership. Georgian Education Minister Nika Gvaramia and US Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft have signed an agreement on cooperation in the scientific and technological areas. After signing the agreement, both countries take responsibility for funding joint scientific programmes. The first of these will presumably be implemented by the end of the current year.

“This is a very symbolic day, because a society based on education is always disposed to building democracy,” Nika Gvaramia said. “This agreement will lay the basis for even greater cooperation in the future in the scientific area,” John Tefft said. (Rustavi 2)



Non-Parliamentary opposition representatives make special statement

The non-Parliamentary opposition made a special statement yesterday. The text is given below:

“The authorities declared a new wave of democracy during Joseph Biden’s visit, but afterwards it resumed political persecution and quickly dealt with active protestors. The people’s mass protest has been triggered by the real problems in the country. A Government oriented to development should be capable of solving these problems, but unfortunately, it conducts itself as an authoritarian and inadequate regime. A ‘new wave of democracy’ by this Government means ‘persecuting people for having a different point of view’.

“Political terror by the Government can’t be described as an internal political problem. It’s impossible to talk about stabilisation, security and conflict settlement while the Government is behaving as an occupier and aggressor towards its own citizens.

“The new democracy wave’ has turned into a ‘new terror wave’, and the authorities still can’t understand that they can bluff some people but not everyone and not forever. The accusation of the people will be very bad for the authorities if they do not stop arresting and violating innocent people.

“We call on everyone who appreciates freedom. Let’s protest against this shameful form of organized crime in the 21st century - people being terrorized for holding a different point of view by the Government.”

The New Rights, Defend Georgia, Democratic Movement – Free Democrats, National Forum, Freedom Party, Conservative Party, Movement for Free Georgia, Industry Will Save Georgia, Republican Party, Way of Georgia and Levan Gachechiladze have signed the appeal. Its authors state that others can join them and sign it. (Interpressnews)