The News in Brief
Monday, December 5
Patriarch Preaches Respect for Parents
The Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the second spoke about importance of respecting parents. He said that parents today give a varied education to their children, but they’re forgetting spiritual education.
“That’s why they don’t grow up as we expect them to be but selfish people who leave their parents. Parents, spending their lives bringing up children, can hardly imagine that a child will take them to the old persons' home, but they have to know that their children will not treat them that way. For an individual’s happiness, we have this answer: honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long. We must remember this and ask your parents to bless you every day”, Ilia II addressed the congregation.
Ilia II also congratulated people on the day of Virgin Mary’s Induction to Church.
“A church has great importance. It is a gate to paradise. When we started construction of St. Trinity cathedral, only the foundation was sanctified and the kindness in the vicinity was already so great that we didn’t want to go elsewhere. It means that there is a special kindness in the temple that changes an individual. Today we have a very difficult period, when spiritual values are regarded differently, time when sin is not a sin and people are wolves to each other. To be on the right place of Jesus Christ, faith and strong belief is necessary”, Ilia II said.
(Interpressnews)
New town Lazika to be Founded Near Anaklia
President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili stated in Zugdidi Sunday that a town will be founded between Anaklia and Kulevi that will be called Lazika.
He says that half a million residents at a minimum will live in this town within 10 years. “It will be the second largest town in Georgia after Tbilisi. It will be the main trade, economic centre in Western Georgia and a main centre on the Black Sea for Georgia”, Saakashvili said.
He says that large-scale works start next year. A new sea port will be built alongside Anaklia. “We’ll employee thousands of people on the construction”, he said.
The president said that a new contest for architects will be declared.
“We have already started negotiations with some large investment groups in Asia and Europe to invest in the construction of the new town. I want to call on all Georgians, to think about it seriously. I want to address people who left Georgia, IDPs who left Abkhazia, to return and build this town together”, Mikheil Saakashvili said.
(Interpressnews)
Candy from Georgia Wins Junior Eurovision 2011
A Georgian pop group named Candy won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2011, Saturday.
Candy received a total of 108 points, with their song Candy Music. The Netherlands finished second with 103 points, Belarus finished third with 99 points. The winner was chosen by the combined vote of televoters and juries all over Europe.
Georgian contenders performed a mixed Georgian-English song at the contest.
The final of the 9th, 2011 Junior Eurovision Song Contest (JESC)was held in Yerevan, Armenia.
The musical event was aired live by First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB).
Georgia took part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 for the first time. The Georgian participant, a 13-year-old called Mariam Romelashvili qualified in fourth place in the contest, which was held that year in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 2008, the group “Wasps”, with their song "Bzz” won the Sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Lemesos, Cyprus. In 2009, the group "Princesses", with the song "Blue Bird" qualified in the 6th place in Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2010 Mariam Kakhelishvili, with the song “Mari-Dari” ranked 4th in Minsk, Belarus.
(GPB)
Saakashvili Meets Students in Bishkek
President Mikheil Saakashvili with the students at the Central Asia American University in Bishkek as part of a two-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan on Thursday. The number of the students that came to meet with Saakashvili exceeded expectations.
The youth welcomed the president. The audience halted the president`s speech with applause and ovations fifteen times. Saakashvili reviewed the reforms carried out by the Georgian government since the Rose Revolution, the country`s success on the international arena and foreign policy priorities.
At the two hour long meeting, Saaakashvili spoke about the steps and decisions that defeated corruption in Georgia and made the country a leading reformer in the region.
The president answered questions from the students, which referred to Georgia-Russia relations and the agreement that the two countries signed for Russia`s accession to the World Trade Organization.
(Rustavi 2)
Foreign Minister Holds Meetings in Brussels
A Georgian delegation chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Mr. Grigol Vashadze discussed the details of the beginning of negotiations on Georgia-EU free trade relations and the liberalization of the visa regime with the EU at a meeting held in Brussels on Thursday. The sides agreed at the 12th session of the EU-Georgia cooperation council that the negotiations on the two most significant issues would begin soon.
The EU authorities focused on the improvement of the judiciary in Georgia, reforms in the economic sector and the progress of Georgia in the process of combating corruption.
`We discussed the reforms, which we are carrying out in the economic sector and the measures we are implementing for more effective operation of the judiciary; we discussed the political situation, which covers everything from the regional situation to the foreign policy of Georgia and the EU. As for the most interesting issues - free trade relations and the liberalization of the visa regime - negotiations will begin soon,` Vashadze said.
(Rustavi 2)
New medical center opens in Lagodekhi in Eastern Georgia
A new medical center was opened in the town of Lagodekhi of Kakheti region in Eastern Georgia on Friday. The clinic which is equipped with contemporary technology can serve 100 patients a day.
The center opened as part of the "30 in 30 Program", which implies that a total of 30 medical centers of different companies are planned to be opened in different regions of Georgia over 30 days.
The Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili also arrived in Lagodekhi Friday to attend the opening ceremony of the clinic.
"The main thing we are creating in Georgia is the healthcare and education systems according to the highest world standards. New hospitals are being constructed, but the second and more difficult stage is expected to be training of specialists. The two sectors - education and healthcare - should turn Georgia into a developed country", Saakashvili said.
After the opening ceremony, the president met locals and discussed with them the problems existing in the town.
(Rustavi 2)
The Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the second spoke about importance of respecting parents. He said that parents today give a varied education to their children, but they’re forgetting spiritual education.
“That’s why they don’t grow up as we expect them to be but selfish people who leave their parents. Parents, spending their lives bringing up children, can hardly imagine that a child will take them to the old persons' home, but they have to know that their children will not treat them that way. For an individual’s happiness, we have this answer: honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long. We must remember this and ask your parents to bless you every day”, Ilia II addressed the congregation.
Ilia II also congratulated people on the day of Virgin Mary’s Induction to Church.
“A church has great importance. It is a gate to paradise. When we started construction of St. Trinity cathedral, only the foundation was sanctified and the kindness in the vicinity was already so great that we didn’t want to go elsewhere. It means that there is a special kindness in the temple that changes an individual. Today we have a very difficult period, when spiritual values are regarded differently, time when sin is not a sin and people are wolves to each other. To be on the right place of Jesus Christ, faith and strong belief is necessary”, Ilia II said.
(Interpressnews)
New town Lazika to be Founded Near Anaklia
President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili stated in Zugdidi Sunday that a town will be founded between Anaklia and Kulevi that will be called Lazika.
He says that half a million residents at a minimum will live in this town within 10 years. “It will be the second largest town in Georgia after Tbilisi. It will be the main trade, economic centre in Western Georgia and a main centre on the Black Sea for Georgia”, Saakashvili said.
He says that large-scale works start next year. A new sea port will be built alongside Anaklia. “We’ll employee thousands of people on the construction”, he said.
The president said that a new contest for architects will be declared.
“We have already started negotiations with some large investment groups in Asia and Europe to invest in the construction of the new town. I want to call on all Georgians, to think about it seriously. I want to address people who left Georgia, IDPs who left Abkhazia, to return and build this town together”, Mikheil Saakashvili said.
(Interpressnews)
Candy from Georgia Wins Junior Eurovision 2011
A Georgian pop group named Candy won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2011, Saturday.
Candy received a total of 108 points, with their song Candy Music. The Netherlands finished second with 103 points, Belarus finished third with 99 points. The winner was chosen by the combined vote of televoters and juries all over Europe.
Georgian contenders performed a mixed Georgian-English song at the contest.
The final of the 9th, 2011 Junior Eurovision Song Contest (JESC)was held in Yerevan, Armenia.
The musical event was aired live by First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB).
Georgia took part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 for the first time. The Georgian participant, a 13-year-old called Mariam Romelashvili qualified in fourth place in the contest, which was held that year in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 2008, the group “Wasps”, with their song "Bzz” won the Sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Lemesos, Cyprus. In 2009, the group "Princesses", with the song "Blue Bird" qualified in the 6th place in Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2010 Mariam Kakhelishvili, with the song “Mari-Dari” ranked 4th in Minsk, Belarus.
(GPB)
Saakashvili Meets Students in Bishkek
President Mikheil Saakashvili with the students at the Central Asia American University in Bishkek as part of a two-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan on Thursday. The number of the students that came to meet with Saakashvili exceeded expectations.
The youth welcomed the president. The audience halted the president`s speech with applause and ovations fifteen times. Saakashvili reviewed the reforms carried out by the Georgian government since the Rose Revolution, the country`s success on the international arena and foreign policy priorities.
At the two hour long meeting, Saaakashvili spoke about the steps and decisions that defeated corruption in Georgia and made the country a leading reformer in the region.
The president answered questions from the students, which referred to Georgia-Russia relations and the agreement that the two countries signed for Russia`s accession to the World Trade Organization.
(Rustavi 2)
Foreign Minister Holds Meetings in Brussels
A Georgian delegation chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Mr. Grigol Vashadze discussed the details of the beginning of negotiations on Georgia-EU free trade relations and the liberalization of the visa regime with the EU at a meeting held in Brussels on Thursday. The sides agreed at the 12th session of the EU-Georgia cooperation council that the negotiations on the two most significant issues would begin soon.
The EU authorities focused on the improvement of the judiciary in Georgia, reforms in the economic sector and the progress of Georgia in the process of combating corruption.
`We discussed the reforms, which we are carrying out in the economic sector and the measures we are implementing for more effective operation of the judiciary; we discussed the political situation, which covers everything from the regional situation to the foreign policy of Georgia and the EU. As for the most interesting issues - free trade relations and the liberalization of the visa regime - negotiations will begin soon,` Vashadze said.
(Rustavi 2)
New medical center opens in Lagodekhi in Eastern Georgia
A new medical center was opened in the town of Lagodekhi of Kakheti region in Eastern Georgia on Friday. The clinic which is equipped with contemporary technology can serve 100 patients a day.
The center opened as part of the "30 in 30 Program", which implies that a total of 30 medical centers of different companies are planned to be opened in different regions of Georgia over 30 days.
The Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili also arrived in Lagodekhi Friday to attend the opening ceremony of the clinic.
"The main thing we are creating in Georgia is the healthcare and education systems according to the highest world standards. New hospitals are being constructed, but the second and more difficult stage is expected to be training of specialists. The two sectors - education and healthcare - should turn Georgia into a developed country", Saakashvili said.
After the opening ceremony, the president met locals and discussed with them the problems existing in the town.
(Rustavi 2)