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The News in Brief

Wednesday, January 11
Liam Fox summed up two-day visit to Georgia before departure

British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence, Mr. Liam Fox says more intensified international efforts are necessary to facilitate restoration of Georgian government`s control on the occupied territories. The British politician gave interview to Rustavi2 before his departure from Georgia.

`I was looking forward to this visit and I am delighted to have an opportunity to finally get to Georgia. We've had a very wide range of discussions. Besides the financial crisis affecting the Euro-zone, we discussed a wide range of political issues like situation in Iran and Afghanistan. We are extremely grateful for the contribution made by Georgia. But of course we have been also discussing the internal security position in Georgia. Yesterday I visited the line of occupation and I could see from what I called free Georgia, a Russian flag in the territory that the international community has agreed is a part of Georgia, ` Liam Fox said.

British politician summed up his two-day visit to the country.

In the visit Liam Fox held meetings with the Georgian authorities, arrived in the villages along the occupation line and observed the situation there. British parliamentarian was also hosted by the president of Georgia. He also observed the trainings of Georgian armed forces at Krtsanisi military base. (Rustavi 2)



Healthcare and Social Security Thematic Groups Set up within “Georgian Dream”

Another thematic group has been set up within the movement “Georgian Dream”.

The presentation of the healthcare and social security group of “Georgian Dream” was held today.

The 9th thematic group will be headed by Otar Khupenia.

As he said during a press conference at Georgian Dream, the current social system doesn’t comply with the international standards and needs to be changed immediately. He said, it cannot be reformed or perfected but reorientation of the system is necessary and its direction must be changed, as it is the social foundation for authoritarianism and totalitarianism and reorientation means building a free and dignified society.

Khupenia articulated that there is no social protection policy in the country and aims for the reforms assessed as innovations are not clear and there are no criteria for their achievements.

“Pension, maternity leave, aid to unemployed etc. are considered as “favour” from the government and the mechanism of so called “beyond poverty” has turned into a collective begging system. The full responsibility has been delegated to the private sector which has left the medical staff and the patients unprotected”, he said. He also added that the healthcare Ministry has turned into an insurance broker, while the insurance market is not regulated and medicine, hospital, insurance activity is in the hands of one economic subject.

“Instead of the modern system of social protection of the population, feudal mechanisms of bribing the poor people by the government and preserving authority have been established”, Otar Khupenia said.

Head of the thematic group said that Georgian Dream will work out a “new competitive viewpoint” for reorientation of the social system on the basis of the political and public consensus and meetings with different social groups in Tbilisi and the regions will be held.

Healthcare protection and social security group is the ninth thematic group of “Georgian Dream”. (Interpressnews)



Unique discovery made in Abanotubani

Unique discovery was made during the archaeological excavations in Tbilisi`s oldest part of Abanotubani. At the final phase of the excavations, the scientists discovered ancient container of wine Kvevri and other dishes made of clay. The experts say the discovery dates back to III-IV centuries.

Scientists say the discovery will cause some changes in the history of Tbilisi as it confirms that the territory was inhabited before King Vakhtang Gorgasali founded Tbilisi there. The baths discovered during the archaeological excavations also date back to the I-II centuries.

The works were sponsored by the Tbilisi government and the National Museum of Georgia. These discoveries will be exposed at the open air exhibition in the Old Tbilisi District soon. (Rustavi 2)