The News in Brief
Tuesday, September 24
23 presidential candidates registered at the CEC
23 presidential candidates have been registered at the Central Election Commission (CEC). The candidates are the following: Michael Saluashvili, Nestan Kirtadze, Shalva Natelashvili, Sergo Javakhadze, Giorgi Liluashvili, Giorgi Margvelashvili, Nino Burjanadze, Levan Chachua, Avtandil Margiani, Giorgi Targamadze, Koba Davitashvili, David Bakradze, Zurab Kharatishvili, Teimuraz Mzhavia, Giorgi Chikhladze, Nugzar Avaliani, Akaki Asatiani, Nina Chanishvili, Teimuraz Bobokhidze, Kartlos Gharibashvili, Mamuka Chokhonelidze, Tamaz Bibiluri and Mamuka Melikishvili.
The CEC has also registered 37 domestic, 23 international and 18 media organizations for monitoring. Registration term for the local NGOs expires on October 17 and for international organizations on October 20. The accreditation term for media organizations ends on October 24.
The CEC calls on media outlets to pass accreditation procedures in time in order to fully cover the electoral process.
(IPN)
PACE delegation arrives to Georgia
The delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has arrived in Tbilisi to monitor and evaluate political situation in the country prior to the elections of the president. The delegation of six members of PACE will hold meetings with the chairperson of the Central Election Commission, Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker and the leader of the parliamentary minority. They will also hold tete-a-tete meetings with the presidential candidates. Meetings with the State Security Secretary and the Justice Minister are also on the agenda.
(Rustavi 2)
Saakashvili visits the US
President Mikheil Saakashvili has left for the US to go on a working visit and deliver a speech at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The president will also hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of different countries; attend the Civil Society Support Summit, and a reception about justice and goals for development after 2015. Saakashvili is also invited to a reception for the US president and first lady related to the opening of the 68th session, as well as the Concordia Summit – 2013, which will be held on September 26 and 27 at the New York Stock Exchange and the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
(DFWatch)
At least 60 houses flooded in Georgia
Heavy rain on Saturday flooded more than 60 houses in Kakheti, in eastern Georgia.
Rivers burst their banks and water flowed into the first floors and basements in the village Kistauri, in the Akhmeta region. Water destroyed home equipment and furniture, and poultry was killed.
Emergency service employees are helping locals to remove the water from basements. However, it is not raining in Kakheti right now. Houses were flooded in the village Napareuli as well. The Alazani and Lopota Rivers also burst their banks. Representatives of the regional development ministry and ministry of agriculture are in Kakheti to study the situation and meet affected the families. About 3,000 families were left without electricity on Sunday due to safety measures in Telavi and the Akhmeta regions, the Information Center of Kakheti reports. Water damaged drinking water pipes in Khodasheni and the population does not have water yet. Heavy rain also flooded the Alaverdi Monastery complex in Kakheti, where cleaning work is now in progress.
(DFWatch)
Zurab Abashidze: Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not participate in Sochi Olympics
The special representative of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili in relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, said Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot take part in the Sochi Olympics. Abashidze said at a press conference on September 23rd that his words have solid guarantees.
Abashidze said that even the President of de facto Abkhazia, Alexander Ankvab, has said the same. He said even his Russian colleagues have said that naturally Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot participate in the Olympic Games.
Abashidze said it was a journalist or association that had supposedly found Abkhazia and South Ossetia as the sides participating in the Olympics,” Abashidze said, adding that the two breakaway regions are not mentioned as independent states at any webpage of the Olympic Committee.
(Netgazeti)
Irakli Gharibashvili visits Belarus, Baltic States
From September 23-26, Irakli Gharibashvili, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, will hold meetings with his counterparts from the Baltic States. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, “the protocol amending the agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on mutual protection of classified information” and “Joint Statement on the intention to proceed with the actions to conclude the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on Collaboration within the Field of Civil Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response” will be signed with the Republic of Latvia, and “Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on cooperation in the fight against crime” and “Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on cooperation and mutual assistance in the field of emergency prevention and response” will be signed with the Republic of Lithuania.
After the visit to the Baltic States, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia will pay his official visit to the Republic of Belarus, where he will hold meetings with the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus. Within the frames of the visit, the Ministers of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Republic of Belarus will sign “Joint Statement on the intention to proceed with the actions to conclude the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation in the fight against crime”. The visit to the Republic of Belarus will end on 28th of September.
(IPN)
Yushchenko takes part in Saakashvili’s Rtveli with his Georgian godson
Grape harvesting started at the president's vineyard on September 21st. Nikoloz Saakashvili and his godfather Ex-President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko were also engaged in harvesting.
President Saakashvili opened the harvesting joined by the youth of Kvareli and winemakers from different regions of Georgia, who earlier attended the two-day training conducted by the French oenologist Jean Michel Mogne, professor at the Angers University.
After the harvesting was completed, guests moved on to the next step – the wine-press. The process was accompanied by wine-makers from Racha singing Georgian polyphonic songs.
Before departure, President Yushchenko received a special gift from his old friend and godson, a Georgian traditional Kvevri.
(Georgian News)
23 presidential candidates have been registered at the Central Election Commission (CEC). The candidates are the following: Michael Saluashvili, Nestan Kirtadze, Shalva Natelashvili, Sergo Javakhadze, Giorgi Liluashvili, Giorgi Margvelashvili, Nino Burjanadze, Levan Chachua, Avtandil Margiani, Giorgi Targamadze, Koba Davitashvili, David Bakradze, Zurab Kharatishvili, Teimuraz Mzhavia, Giorgi Chikhladze, Nugzar Avaliani, Akaki Asatiani, Nina Chanishvili, Teimuraz Bobokhidze, Kartlos Gharibashvili, Mamuka Chokhonelidze, Tamaz Bibiluri and Mamuka Melikishvili.
The CEC has also registered 37 domestic, 23 international and 18 media organizations for monitoring. Registration term for the local NGOs expires on October 17 and for international organizations on October 20. The accreditation term for media organizations ends on October 24.
The CEC calls on media outlets to pass accreditation procedures in time in order to fully cover the electoral process.
(IPN)
PACE delegation arrives to Georgia
The delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has arrived in Tbilisi to monitor and evaluate political situation in the country prior to the elections of the president. The delegation of six members of PACE will hold meetings with the chairperson of the Central Election Commission, Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker and the leader of the parliamentary minority. They will also hold tete-a-tete meetings with the presidential candidates. Meetings with the State Security Secretary and the Justice Minister are also on the agenda.
(Rustavi 2)
Saakashvili visits the US
President Mikheil Saakashvili has left for the US to go on a working visit and deliver a speech at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The president will also hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of different countries; attend the Civil Society Support Summit, and a reception about justice and goals for development after 2015. Saakashvili is also invited to a reception for the US president and first lady related to the opening of the 68th session, as well as the Concordia Summit – 2013, which will be held on September 26 and 27 at the New York Stock Exchange and the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
(DFWatch)
At least 60 houses flooded in Georgia
Heavy rain on Saturday flooded more than 60 houses in Kakheti, in eastern Georgia.
Rivers burst their banks and water flowed into the first floors and basements in the village Kistauri, in the Akhmeta region. Water destroyed home equipment and furniture, and poultry was killed.
Emergency service employees are helping locals to remove the water from basements. However, it is not raining in Kakheti right now. Houses were flooded in the village Napareuli as well. The Alazani and Lopota Rivers also burst their banks. Representatives of the regional development ministry and ministry of agriculture are in Kakheti to study the situation and meet affected the families. About 3,000 families were left without electricity on Sunday due to safety measures in Telavi and the Akhmeta regions, the Information Center of Kakheti reports. Water damaged drinking water pipes in Khodasheni and the population does not have water yet. Heavy rain also flooded the Alaverdi Monastery complex in Kakheti, where cleaning work is now in progress.
(DFWatch)
Zurab Abashidze: Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not participate in Sochi Olympics
The special representative of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili in relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, said Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot take part in the Sochi Olympics. Abashidze said at a press conference on September 23rd that his words have solid guarantees.
Abashidze said that even the President of de facto Abkhazia, Alexander Ankvab, has said the same. He said even his Russian colleagues have said that naturally Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot participate in the Olympic Games.
Abashidze said it was a journalist or association that had supposedly found Abkhazia and South Ossetia as the sides participating in the Olympics,” Abashidze said, adding that the two breakaway regions are not mentioned as independent states at any webpage of the Olympic Committee.
(Netgazeti)
Irakli Gharibashvili visits Belarus, Baltic States
From September 23-26, Irakli Gharibashvili, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, will hold meetings with his counterparts from the Baltic States. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, “the protocol amending the agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on mutual protection of classified information” and “Joint Statement on the intention to proceed with the actions to conclude the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on Collaboration within the Field of Civil Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response” will be signed with the Republic of Latvia, and “Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on cooperation in the fight against crime” and “Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on cooperation and mutual assistance in the field of emergency prevention and response” will be signed with the Republic of Lithuania.
After the visit to the Baltic States, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia will pay his official visit to the Republic of Belarus, where he will hold meetings with the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus. Within the frames of the visit, the Ministers of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Republic of Belarus will sign “Joint Statement on the intention to proceed with the actions to conclude the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation in the fight against crime”. The visit to the Republic of Belarus will end on 28th of September.
(IPN)
Yushchenko takes part in Saakashvili’s Rtveli with his Georgian godson
Grape harvesting started at the president's vineyard on September 21st. Nikoloz Saakashvili and his godfather Ex-President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko were also engaged in harvesting.
President Saakashvili opened the harvesting joined by the youth of Kvareli and winemakers from different regions of Georgia, who earlier attended the two-day training conducted by the French oenologist Jean Michel Mogne, professor at the Angers University.
After the harvesting was completed, guests moved on to the next step – the wine-press. The process was accompanied by wine-makers from Racha singing Georgian polyphonic songs.
Before departure, President Yushchenko received a special gift from his old friend and godson, a Georgian traditional Kvevri.
(Georgian News)