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The News in Brief

Friday, September 14
Central Election Commission decides to add more overseas polling stations

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided to set up additional polling stations overseas. According to the CEC, the number of Georgian citizens living abroad who have the right to vote is 42,613. 1,409 are already registered at Georgian embassies and consulates as of September 10th.

Based on data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission had already created 42 polling stations overseas for Georgian citizens to vote.

This past week additional polling stations have been set up- # 43 in Barcelona, Spain; # 44 in Ottawa, Canada; # 45 in Dublin, Ireland; # 48 in Budapest, Hungary and # 49 in Lisbon, Portugal. (IPN)



Statement of IDPs to World and Georgian Patriarchs

A delegation from the Abkhazian legitimate government and representatives of the Patriarch`s Administration will meet with the World Patriarch in Istanbul on September 17th. The delegations plan to discuss and assess the attempts of religious figures serving in the breakaway region of Abkhazia, who demand autocephaly for the Abkhazian Orthodox Church.

IDPs from Abkhazia assembled at Sokhumi University today and read a statement to the World Patriarch and the Patriarch of All Georgia, in which they object to the separation of the Abkhazian Orthodox Church from the Georgian Orthodox Church. (Rustavi 2)



Bidzina Ivanishvili - We have developed mechanisms to protect each vote

The Georgian Dream coalition has developed mechanisms to ensure each vote is counted properly, Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of the coalition said during a political rally in Bolnisi.

“We have developed mechanisms that will protect each vote. There will be no ballot-box stuffing. On October 1st many observers will arrive in Georgia, nobody in the history of this country can remember such a thing.", Ivanishvili said.

Today Ivanishvili presented the majoritarian MP candidate for Bolnisi, Darejan Chkhetiani and noted that she is one of the best candidates from the Georgian Dream coalition. (IPN)



Exit polling during the parliamentary elections will be conducted by international research company GfK

Exit polling during the upcoming parliamentary elections will be conducted by international research company GfK .

According to "Public Broadcasting", GfK is being paid 230,000 USD, for conducting polling during Election Day and two rounds of sociological research.

The GFK is the No 4 market research organization worldwide headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany. Its activities cover five business divisions: Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media, and Healthcare. In addition to 13 German subsidiaries, the Group has over 130 subsidiaries and affiliates located in more than 100 countries. (IPN)



Ivanishvili does not exclude the possibility that after the elections the coalition "Georgian Dream" will collapse

Ivanishvili does not exclude the possibility that after the elections the Georgian Dream coalition will collapse . After meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Ivanishvili said that the coalition breaking up would be expected, considering that Georgian Dream consists of a number of parties.

"The possibility of this scenario certainly exists. In some way, this is logical and normal." Ivanishvili said. (IPN)



President opens construction of a new hotel

President Saakashvili opened the construction of a new hotel complex "Piazza Alta" at Goderdzi Pass, which is due to be finished in 2014. During the first stage of construction, two blocks of the hotel with 120 rooms will be built; at the same time, the hotel will have its own rope way, which will be constructed by an Austrian company. The creation of ski tracks is also planned.

By the end of 2014, three seven-storey buildings will also be built. Currently, 300 people are employed in construction on the site, but this number is expected to increase as the next phases of the projects are launched.

The construction of a new cottage type hotel is already finished and the first visitors are expected by the end of the year. In addition, the government has announced a competition for selecting a name to the resort. (Rustavi 2)



PM, Employment Minister visits professional college

Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili and State Minister for Employment Paata Trapaidze visited professional college Ikaross, observed the teaching process and discussed plans for the school's enlargement in the future.

The college was founded five years ago. It provides qualification courses for lower and mid-level service sector personnel.

The college directors say that three thousand students have graduated from their institution and most of them are currently employed. (Rustavi 2)



Spanish clubs interested in Georgian goalkeeper

Spain`s two leading football clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona are interested in Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Loria after his impressive performance during the recent 2014 World Cup qualifying match between Georgia and Spain. One of the Spanish sports papers has that both clubs are searching for a second goalkeeper and have created provisional lineups with Loria as their presumed second-choice keeper. Giorgi Loria currently plays for Dinamo Tbilisi. (Rustavi 2)