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The News in Brief

Thursday, October 6
October 7 is Day Off in Tbilisi

October 7 has been declared a day off in Tbilisi, marking the celebration “Tbilisoba”, InterPressNews was told by Tbilisi City Hall.

The Festivity of “Tbilisoba” will be held on 7, 8, and 9 October. As October 7 is a Friday, Tbilisi City Hall officially addressed the President of Georgia's Administration to declare October 7 as a day off only in Tbilisi. (Interpressnews)



CoE adopts yet another supportive resolution on Georgia

The Council of Europe has adopted yet another resolution supporting Georgia on Wednesday. In parliament, 80 MPs voted for and 16 against the draft resolution prepared by the German lawmaker, Marina Schuster. The resolution was entitled – "National Sovereignty in International Law."

MP Schuster was the main speaker at yesterday`s session, she slammed the Russian intervention and called on Russia to fulfill its obligations taken via CoE resolutions. The 12 page document includes separate parts on territorial integrity issues. The German MP believes that territorial integrity is the main guarantor of stability in the region. (Rustavi 2)



Foreign Minister pays visit to the Republic of the Fiji Islands

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Grigol Vashadze, paid an official visit to the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Vashadze was hosted by the Prime Minister of the Republic, Voreqe Bainimarama, and the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Saipora Matakaibara.

The sides discussed bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation development issues, intensification of ties in the health care and education sectors. The PM of Fiji emphasized the need to intensify bilateral economic cooperation and expressed the state's interest in the exchange of delegations. Fiji authorities demonstrated support for Georgia`s territorial integrity and sovereignty. (Rustavi 2)



Georgian national wanted by Interpol resides in GB

Georgian national Tato Kakauridze, 33, is among the 14 most dangerous criminals wanted by Interpol and Scotland Yard. Scotland Yard published the pictures of 14 "dangerous" fugitives alleged to have committed terrible crimes. The men are accused of offences such as murder, rape, robbery and drug dealing in foreign countries but could be on the run in the UK.

Kakauridze is wanted in Georgia for the murder of Aleksandre Kutsashvili in 2002 and has links to Leeds and surrounding areas in northern England, Scotland Yard has reported.

British police announced the contact number on which citizens should contact them if they notice these persons anywhere. Four of the wanted criminals are from Romania, six - from Poland, others are from Albania, Italy and Australia. (Rustavi 2)



Rescue work continues in landslide affected area in Armenia

Air rescue teams have been involved in an operation on the Georgia-Armenia border, where a landslide covered 35 vehicles. Five persons are still missing after the disaster on October 2, and the rescue brigades are working to find them.

The 130-meter-long and 60-meter-deep landslide covered the road, rendering it completely impassable. A total of 35 vehicles were covered with earth in the result.

Two of the missing persons are citizens of Georgia - father and son Arthur and Gurgen Hakobyan. The wife of the man has confirmed that his husband and son got out of the car during heavy traffic when the landslide occurred and they disappeared.

On Tuesday evening, the rescuers managed to clean up and open railway movement. Heavy machinery has been sent to the place of the disaster for further work. (Rustavi 2)



Vice Speaker meets with Russian opposition leader in Strasbourg

The vice speaker of Georgian parliament has discussed the situation in Russia before the presidential elections at the meeting with the representative of the Russian Opposition Union in Strasbourg Wednesday. Mikheil Kasyanov and Paata Davitaia spoke about the registration of political parties and presidential candidates in Russia, who are apparently facing serious problems. The former Russian Prime Minister Kasyanov believes that elections in Russia will not be conducted democratically. Kasyanov also said the presence of many international observer missions would protect the process from being rigged.

`I am holding meetings with the representatives of different groups in the Council of Europe. They know that Russia is holding elections but we believe that it is not an election. We have our arguments. Russia is a member of the Council of Europe; it has obligations to democratic society which are being ignored. I want to make the situation in Russia clearer to our European colleagues. One of the main issues discussed at the meetings is the presence of European observers,` Kasyanov said. (Rustavi 2)