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Compiled by Messenger Staff
Monday, April 26
Georgian and Russian Christian-Democrats sign memorandum

24 Saati writes that Giorgi Targamadze, leader of the Christian-Democratic Movement, and Sergey Mezentsev, the Chairman of the Initiative Group of the Christian Democratic Party of Russia, have signed a memorandum on mutual cooperation and friendship in the Parliament of Georgia. According to the memorandum this cooperation will be based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.

The agreement stipulates that regular consultations will be held on problematic issues in Russian-Georgian relations in accordance with the norms and requirements of International Law and international contacts and the principles of equality and fair partnership.

"The Christian Democratic Party of Russia is an opposition party which has never been represented in Parliament. It is composed of former dissidents and political prisoners who are the founders of the Christian Democrat ideology in Russia. They have written very interesting works on Christian Democracy," Giorgi Targamadze stated.

However the newspaper notes that it is impossible to obtain any kind of information about the Initiative Group of the Christian Democratic Party of Russia because it has no website. Russian legislation forbids any reference to religion in the name of a political party. Therefore, the Christian Democrats are not registered as a political party. The original Christian Democratic Union was founded by Alexandre Voloznikov and others in 1989 but after the above law was passed the party became the Initiative Group.

Despite the fact it is not registered as a political party, the Initiative Group actively participates in Christian Democratic meetings and conferences. They are not in alliance with any of the other opposition parties for various reasons but they have some dialogue with the leaders of the opposition. The members of the Initiative Group have influence as philosophers and scientists in Russia. Sergey Mezentsev is a Professor of Moscow Construction University and a Doctor of Philosophy. Another member, Aleksey Ogorodnikov, a journalist and theologian, was a very famous dissident. He was arrested several times for opposing Soviet ideology and spent 5 years in prison. These two men edited the Christian Almanac and Christian Democratic Herald in the 1990s.



Gia Tortladze links visit to Moscow with destabilsation

MP Gia Tortladze has told Versia, "There are certain parties who talk openly about destabilising the country. They will try this but are unlikely to achieve their goal. Russian special services have plotted several destabilisation scenarios too. Doing this requires a good executor and finance, but no one can afford such things in this country now.

"I do not take all these talks between parties seriously. People who tore up their mandates before are now intending to participate in the elections. What has changed for them – what has changed for Koba Davitashvili and Zviad Dzidziguri’s parties? If they would not take their seats in Parliament then, why do they want to join the City Council today? In fact, they want to do this in order to destabilise the country," Tortladze says.

"I said on April 9 that these people were financed and controlled by Russia. Did this not become obvious when they visited Moscow? I am not aware who organised the protest actions on that day but Russian money was obviously part of the previous actions. I do not have evidence but the fact that they are openly visiting Moscow to meet the occupier makes everything clear for me.

"Kukava and Davitashvili have gone to Moscow for the same reason Noghaideli and Burjanadze did – to gain support for their bid to take power. Russia had organised such revolutions in many countries of the world and is endeavouring to organise the same revolution in Georgia along with these collaborators,” Tortladze stated.