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Compiled by Keti Baramidze
Tuesday, March 23
Christian-Democrats to man customs points

The leaders of the Christian-Democratic Movement are going to work at the customs points and keep customs procedures under strict control. "I’ll watch over the Lagodekhi customs point personally and let no one impede the Georgian farmer’s right to import a certain amount of diesel as allowed by law," announced Nika Laliashvili.

Laliashvili said that in Azerbaijani diesel is only 90 tetri while in Lagodekhi, only a small distance from Azerbaijan, it now costs 1.75 lari. He confirmed that under Georgian legislation, petrol imported through tanks is tax-free, raising questions about how this price difference is justified.

"Customs officers have been given a secret order not to allow people to import diesel into the country. They put people under great pressure. They even force farmers going to Azerbaijan to fill their tanks before crossing the border. After our intervention no one will be able to break the law any more and the farmers will be supplied with cheap diesel," said Laliashvili.



Mayoral candidate Gia Chanturia promises he will defeat poverty

"Hardship, poverty, people’s unbearable living conditions, these are the most powerful enemies that I will defeat. They assert that I am the Government’s candidate but to this I give a simple answer: talk about business. I am someone who wants to attend to his own duties. If they suggest that we can work better together I‘ll accept their offer and help them also," Tbilisi Mayor candidate Gia Chanturia has said in an interview with Mteli Kvira.

"We have considered reducing the electricity tariff. We assert that this process will cause a reduction in unemployment. But in order to achieve this it’s important to support small and medium-sized businesses, as this is the main way to help people get jobs. First of all I will cut the gas and electricity tariffs and then we will be able to look after our economy without any foreign country’s assistance," says Gia Chanturia.

"If we had a unanimous candidate who gave the Georgian people grounds to believe that he is able to attend to his duties, we would certainly support such a person. As for me, I can’t hide the fact that my most essential priority is work and work only. A candidate who talks but does nothing isn’t worth supporting. I’ll abide by the opposition’s decisions in every respect, if those decisions involve doing work. The most important thing for me is to see which candidate will fulfill his responsibilities and help us to overcome the poverty which is, unfortunately, such an acute problem in Georgia. However, my rivals should support my candidature if I manage to assure them that I am able to attend to my duties and keep all the promises I make," Chanturia continues.

Asked if he is suggesting that others withdraw their candidature in his favour, Chanturia replies: "I have declared, and signed a document to the effect, that I’m not going to vote in the Presidential elections for the next 15 years. I appeal to my colleagues to follow my example."