The News in Brief
Friday, October 8
Georgia will not support Russia's membership of WTO
Georgia will not support Russia’s application for membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) – Prime Minister Nika Gilauri stated in an interview with the Associated Press.
According to the PM, Georgia will not support Russia’s request for membership of the World Trade Organisation until Moscow complies with conditions related to the work of customs terminals on the Abkhaz and South Ossetian sections of the border.
“Georgia only requires compliance with WTO rules and standards for Russia to become a member of the organisation,” said Nika Gilauri, visiting Washington from 5 to 10 October, where the final annual meeting of the Charter of the Georgian-American strategic cooperation is being held.
“We are for Russia’s membership to WTO according to the rules of the WTO itself, according to which checkpoints representing two countries operate on the border of any two states,” said Gilauri.
Earlier, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated that authorities would not support Russia’s membership of the WTO.
“Georgia’s position remains firm. Tbilisi is not going to support Russia’s WTO membership until Russia fulfills the conditions of the Georgian government, in particular, this applies to the illegal customs checkpoints (at the Abkhazian and Ossetian sections of the border) and other problematic issues existing between Russia and Georgia,” stated the spokesperson of the Georgian president, Manana Manjgaladze.
The WTO is an international organisation created for the purpose of international trade liberalisation and regulation of trade and political relations between member states. It has a membership of more than 150 countries.
Russia has been trying to join the WTO since 1993. (Prime-News)
PACE hails reforms in Georgia
According to the preliminary report prepared by Michael Jensen and discussed at the PACE session on October 6, European MPs have hailed the reforms carried out in Georgia during the past few years.
The report emphasised the ongoing changes in the judiciary, the strategy against human torture and corruption, police reform and freedom of the media.
The European MPs mentioned Georgia is successfully moving towards democratic developments.
The report will be submitted for a final discussion at the winter or spring session of the PACE.
According to the MP Petre Tsiskarishvili, who headed the Georgian delegation, some remarks and instructions in the report will be considered by the government during the implementation of the reforms.
A new Secretary General of the PACE was elected at the session. Voitsekh Savitsky has replaced Thorbjorn Jagland in this position. (Prime-News)
Business Association of Georgia sets up New Committees
Two new committees have been established by the Business Association of Georgia.
According to information released by the Association, a presentation of the committees of agriculture development and intellectual property protection will be held at the Sheraton Metechi Palace on October 7.
The committee of agricultural development will be chaired by the general director of ‘Tbilvino’ and the committee of intellectual property protection – by the general director of ‘Alta’.
Minister of Agriculture of Georgia, Bakur Kvezereli will attend the committees’ presentation. (Prime-News)
Director of Trialeti TV detained in Gori
Joni Nanetashvili, director of Trialeti TV, has been detained in Gori. Nanetashvili is the brother of former MP and deputy governor Badri Nanetashvili, who is also an owner of the TV channel.
The police say the reason of detention was rough violation of traffic rules and resistance to the police. However, representatives of Trialeti TV say no violation and resistance took place.
“It was a provocation. The detention is related to the information policy of the TV channel,” they said.
Badri Nanetashvili will hold a special briefing about the detention. (Interpressnews)
Surgeons from Europe to conduct free operations in Georgia
Ministry of Health and Social Care has launched the implementation of a new project - the ministry has invited ten surgeons from Italy, one of whom is a Georgian doctor working in the Dimonzo clinic.
As part of the project, ten surgeons from Europe will conduct ten operations on children from 2-7 years old who have various inborn heart diseases.
The surgical operations will be made to improve defects of interventricular septum, transplant mitral valve and cure other inborn heart diseases. The operations will be carried out over a week.
100,000 GEL has been allocated from the state budget to sponsor the unique operations. (Rustavi 2)
Georgia will not support Russia’s application for membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) – Prime Minister Nika Gilauri stated in an interview with the Associated Press.
According to the PM, Georgia will not support Russia’s request for membership of the World Trade Organisation until Moscow complies with conditions related to the work of customs terminals on the Abkhaz and South Ossetian sections of the border.
“Georgia only requires compliance with WTO rules and standards for Russia to become a member of the organisation,” said Nika Gilauri, visiting Washington from 5 to 10 October, where the final annual meeting of the Charter of the Georgian-American strategic cooperation is being held.
“We are for Russia’s membership to WTO according to the rules of the WTO itself, according to which checkpoints representing two countries operate on the border of any two states,” said Gilauri.
Earlier, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated that authorities would not support Russia’s membership of the WTO.
“Georgia’s position remains firm. Tbilisi is not going to support Russia’s WTO membership until Russia fulfills the conditions of the Georgian government, in particular, this applies to the illegal customs checkpoints (at the Abkhazian and Ossetian sections of the border) and other problematic issues existing between Russia and Georgia,” stated the spokesperson of the Georgian president, Manana Manjgaladze.
The WTO is an international organisation created for the purpose of international trade liberalisation and regulation of trade and political relations between member states. It has a membership of more than 150 countries.
Russia has been trying to join the WTO since 1993. (Prime-News)
PACE hails reforms in Georgia
According to the preliminary report prepared by Michael Jensen and discussed at the PACE session on October 6, European MPs have hailed the reforms carried out in Georgia during the past few years.
The report emphasised the ongoing changes in the judiciary, the strategy against human torture and corruption, police reform and freedom of the media.
The European MPs mentioned Georgia is successfully moving towards democratic developments.
The report will be submitted for a final discussion at the winter or spring session of the PACE.
According to the MP Petre Tsiskarishvili, who headed the Georgian delegation, some remarks and instructions in the report will be considered by the government during the implementation of the reforms.
A new Secretary General of the PACE was elected at the session. Voitsekh Savitsky has replaced Thorbjorn Jagland in this position. (Prime-News)
Business Association of Georgia sets up New Committees
Two new committees have been established by the Business Association of Georgia.
According to information released by the Association, a presentation of the committees of agriculture development and intellectual property protection will be held at the Sheraton Metechi Palace on October 7.
The committee of agricultural development will be chaired by the general director of ‘Tbilvino’ and the committee of intellectual property protection – by the general director of ‘Alta’.
Minister of Agriculture of Georgia, Bakur Kvezereli will attend the committees’ presentation. (Prime-News)
Director of Trialeti TV detained in Gori
Joni Nanetashvili, director of Trialeti TV, has been detained in Gori. Nanetashvili is the brother of former MP and deputy governor Badri Nanetashvili, who is also an owner of the TV channel.
The police say the reason of detention was rough violation of traffic rules and resistance to the police. However, representatives of Trialeti TV say no violation and resistance took place.
“It was a provocation. The detention is related to the information policy of the TV channel,” they said.
Badri Nanetashvili will hold a special briefing about the detention. (Interpressnews)
Surgeons from Europe to conduct free operations in Georgia
Ministry of Health and Social Care has launched the implementation of a new project - the ministry has invited ten surgeons from Italy, one of whom is a Georgian doctor working in the Dimonzo clinic.
As part of the project, ten surgeons from Europe will conduct ten operations on children from 2-7 years old who have various inborn heart diseases.
The surgical operations will be made to improve defects of interventricular septum, transplant mitral valve and cure other inborn heart diseases. The operations will be carried out over a week.
100,000 GEL has been allocated from the state budget to sponsor the unique operations. (Rustavi 2)