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The News in Brief

Wednesday, April 7
Police employee detained by General Inspection for bribery

Officers of the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have detained Inspector-Investigator Senior Lieutenant Giorgi Pepinashvili from Telavi Police Station for accepting a bribe of 500 GEL from a lawyer's assistant for information required to complete a plea-bargain agreement. The officer has already pleaded guilty.

An investigation is being conducted by General Inspection. The committed crime carries a term of imprisonment of from 6 to 9 years. (Rustavi 2)



Mayor's candidate slams municipal government for incorrect policy

The leader of the People's Democrats Party, Tbilisi Mayor candidate Nika Ivanishvili, has accused the Tbilisi municipal authorities of artificially increasing the staff of the municipal government by 410 men.

At a briefing in his party's head office Ivanishvili slammed the Tbilisi government for the incorrect distribution of municipal funds. He also slammed the Georgian Government for failing to fulfil its promise to increase pensions in Tbilisi to 100 US dollars. (Rustavi 2)



Inga Grigolia begins election campaign

Candidate for Tbilisi City Hall Chair, former journalist and now member of the Christian Democratic Movement Inga Grigolia has launched her election campaign. Grigolia held a press conference in the Prime Time Press Club yesterday and said she was confident that the opposition would gain the majority of votes in the new assembly.

Grigolia believes that taking control of the Government will begin from the city assembly and the election will be the beginning of the end of the Government. She acknowledged that her major rival will be the candidate of the ruling party, who has not been nominated yet.

Grigolia ruled out holding debates with any of her rivals unless she can hold TV debates with the candidate of the ruling party. She believes the debates between opposition parties usually only promote the candidates of the ruling party.

Grigolia downplayed the attitude of some political parties that the CDM is a satellite of the Government. (Rustavi 2)



Locals object to military training in Tskhinvali

The local population are objecting to the military training underway in the occupied Tskhinvali Region of Georgia, local sources have reported.

The fourth brigade of the Russian Defence Ministry is conducting scheduled exercises in the occupied region. Though they are being conducted far from the city of Tskhinvali, the sound of shooting reaches the populated area and disturbs the peaceful civilians.

The assistant commander of the Fourth Brigade asserts that people should not be afraid of the training, because the soldiers are well trained and instructed in security measures. (Rustavi 2)



Two fall into ravine at night

The brothers Beka and Nika Beridze only survived a fall into a ravine thanks to the timely arrival of rescuers late last night. The two were walking home from the cemetery at the Tbilisi Lake when they failed to find the way in the dark and fell into a ravine about 50 metres deep. Rescuers managed to get the boys out of the ravine and took them to hospital.

The elder brother is in critical state in the intensive care department. The younger brother was discharged from hospital after emergency treatment. (Rustavi 2)