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The News in Brief

Thursday, July 22
Director of Germany's Federal Chamber of Lawyers visits Georgia

The Georgian Lawyers Association is hosting the Director of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of Germany.

A round table entitled Lawyers’ Professional Development was held at the Ambassador hotel on July 20-21. The German guest talked about the legal education and qualification systems in Germany and German lawyers’ payroll, professional ethics and rules of behaviour in court. He also talked about the procedure for disciplining lawyers.

The head of the Georgian Lawyers Association acquainted his German colleague with Georgia's law 'On the Legal Profession and analysed the situation at the Georgian Lawyers Association since 2009 and its role under the new legislation. The round table was organized by the Georgian Lawyers Association and the German fund IRZ. (Prime News)



UNDP assists Georgian Parliament

The United Nations Development Programme will continue helping the Georgian Parliament to effectively fulfill its constitutional responsibilities under a new initiative involving assistance in the technical and expertise sectors. This initiative was presented to Parliament yesterday.

The new project, 'A Strong Parliament in a Consolidated Democracy', will continue until the end of 2011 with a budget of USD 270,000, which may be increased to USD 900,000. UNDP will provide technical and expert support to help Parliament to enhance its role in the formulation of the national budget and policy-making for democratic local self-governance. UNDP will also assist in improving the human resource management system of Parliament. In addition, UNDP will promote partnership and cooperation between the Georgian Parliament and Eastern European, Baltic and Nordic Parliaments.

UNDP has been assisting Parliamentary development in Georgia since 2004. As part of this assistance, UNDP organises training courses and seminars for MPs and Parliament staff. (Prime News)



Deadline for applications for hydroelectric power station construction expires

A deadline for applications to build hydroelectric power stations in the Imereti region and Adjara expired yesterday. The Ministry of Energy says that a Turkish company, MAR-SU Electrical Generation Trade and Industry Limited, is interested in building these stations on the rivers Tsablis Tskali and Akavrita.

The 12 megawatt capacity power plant Tsablari 2 will be built on the River Tsablari in Imereti region and another 11.512 megawatt capacity hydroelectric power station will be built on the River Akavrita in Adjaria. After studying the applications the Georgian Government will choose the investor proposing the best terms. (Prime News)



Eka Beselia says new Constitution includes threats for the country

Leader of the public movement Solidarity With Illegal Prisoners Eka Beselia says that the new draft Constitution is a document which includes new challenges and serious threats. The document was drafted by the State Constitutional Commission and been submitted to Parliament for consideration.

Eka Beselia said at a briefing yesterday that the new constitutional model of governance does not protect civilians and fails to solve the problems caused by the imbalance of powers. She added that the Constitution will not provide a balance between the branches of Government and only serves to strengthen the Prime Minister's authority; it reduces Parliament`s rights and mutual oversight of Government bodies will be impossible.

Eka Beselia distrusts the current Parliament and asserts that the new Constitution should be adopted by a Parliament with supreme legitimacy. (Rustavi 2)



Registration of Chechen refugees begins

The Ministry of IDPs and Resettlement has begun the registration of Chechen refugees residing in Georgia. According to recent data, the number of Chechen refugees here has declined during the past few years. Their exact number will be determined after the obligatory registration which began yesterday.

The registration will last three months and will be conducted in various regions of Georgia. If any Chechen fails to register the deadline will be postponed for one month. (Rustavi 2)