The News in Brief
Thursday, November 6
Several Georgian ambassadors may resign
Several ambassadors of Georgia may resign. According to reports, Georgia’s Permanent Representative to NATO, which is the brother of Free Democrats member Viktor Dolidze, has already left his post.
The Foreign Ministry has not made any official statement about the possible resignation of ambassadors yet. (IPN)
“The Free Democrats party is not going to cooperate with the United National Movement”
The Free Democrats party is not going to cooperate with the United National Movement, Georgia’s former State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alex Petriashvili told Frontnews on Wednesday.
“We are not going to cooperate with the United National Movement; the only political party with whom we will continue our cooperation is the Republican Party”, Petriashvili said. (Frontnews)
Parliament of Estonia ratifies EU-Georgia Agreement
The Parliament of Estonia (Riigikogu) ratified the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) on November 4.
The Riigikogu passed 66 votes in favour of ratifying the agreement between the European Union (EU), the European Atomic Energy Community and its member states, of the one part, and Georgia.
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared this news on its Twitter account shortly after.
"This is a club of 28 members of the European Union. Many countries and nations are currently [making] efforts to get their foot in the door: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia," commented one Member of Parliament Barbi Pilvre during the discussion. "Our duty now is to help others, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, in their efforts."
Parliament members also ratified EU Association Agreements with Ukraine and Moldova at the same meeting. (Agenda.ge)
Georgia’s army not involved in political struggle
Georgia’s army is beyond politics and it is not involved in the political struggle, the head of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze told reporters Nov. 5.
He was commenting on Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s resignation.
He said that Alasania’s activity as defense minister was successful.
The period of his activity is one of the most important stages in the development of the Georgian Armed Forces.
"The army is beyond the politics,” Kapanadze said. “It will not be on somebody’s side. The army is an independent institution which does not participate in the political struggle. Alasania did much for the armed forces."
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili made a statement about Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s resignation following a meeting of the political council of the "Georgian Dream" bloc. (Trend.az)
There is no crisis-parliament chair states
According to Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Davit Usupashvili, it is not beneficial for the country, when agencies address each other by means of statements.
"There is no crisis in the coalition, these are only some critical developments. Naturally, it is not beneficial for the country, when agencies address each other by means of statements. I’d like to tell my partners in the coalition and the government that is responsible before the country to properly deal with this kind of crisis situations in order not to damage our country,"- Usupashvili said. (Pia.ge)
Ex-gov’t official detained after Rose Revolution is acquitted by European Court
A former government official detained in 2004 after the Rose Revolution for abuse of power and more, has been acquitted by the European Court of Human Rights after the former government was found to have abused the victim’s human rights.
Former chairman of the State Audit Office Sulkhan Molashvili Court after the ex- government was found to have violated four European Convention Articles.
These were: Article Three: No one shall be subjected to torture, inhumane treatment or punishment; Article Five: Right to liberty and security); Article Six: Right to a fair trial); and Article Fourteen: Prohibition of discrimination.
The Strasbourg Court made its final decision on the basis of a confession of the current Government. On March 11, 2014, the Georgian Government addressed the Strasbourg authorities and admitted the former government’s violations in Molashvili’s case and requested permission to re-investigate the incident.
The Strasbourg Court ordered the state to pay Molashvili ˆ20,000 (44,241 GEL) compensation within three months and to complete a new investigation within one year.
Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Justice Gocha Lortkipanidze noted the amount of compensation could have been more if the dispute had continued.
"Sulkhan Molashvili was treated inhumanly. He was sentenced to imprisonment groundlessly and unreasonably by an unfair court. He was a victim of discrimination. The former president of Georgia also violated presumption of his innocence,” Lortkipanidze said.
"The previous government had also been forced to launch the conciliation procedure for Molashvili in the Strasbourg Court however, the trial had been delayed because of the failure of negotiations between Molashvili’s lawyers and the previous government officials. [But now] we have finished this procedure, the Strasbourg Court has closed this case and imposed a fine of ˆ20,000 on the Georgian Government for Molashvili’s case,” Lortkipanidze noted.
In 2004 the Georgian court found Molashvili guilty of abuse of power, concealing a crime and misappropriation of public funds after the Rose Revolution on April 23, 2004. He was sentenced to nine years behind bars but was released in 2008 under a motion of the Patriarch.
Molashvili is currently in France. It is believed he will return to Georgia in November and re-appeal to the authorities as part of the new investigation into his case. (Agenda.ge)
Several ambassadors of Georgia may resign. According to reports, Georgia’s Permanent Representative to NATO, which is the brother of Free Democrats member Viktor Dolidze, has already left his post.
The Foreign Ministry has not made any official statement about the possible resignation of ambassadors yet. (IPN)
“The Free Democrats party is not going to cooperate with the United National Movement”
The Free Democrats party is not going to cooperate with the United National Movement, Georgia’s former State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alex Petriashvili told Frontnews on Wednesday.
“We are not going to cooperate with the United National Movement; the only political party with whom we will continue our cooperation is the Republican Party”, Petriashvili said. (Frontnews)
Parliament of Estonia ratifies EU-Georgia Agreement
The Parliament of Estonia (Riigikogu) ratified the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) on November 4.
The Riigikogu passed 66 votes in favour of ratifying the agreement between the European Union (EU), the European Atomic Energy Community and its member states, of the one part, and Georgia.
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared this news on its Twitter account shortly after.
"This is a club of 28 members of the European Union. Many countries and nations are currently [making] efforts to get their foot in the door: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia," commented one Member of Parliament Barbi Pilvre during the discussion. "Our duty now is to help others, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, in their efforts."
Parliament members also ratified EU Association Agreements with Ukraine and Moldova at the same meeting. (Agenda.ge)
Georgia’s army not involved in political struggle
Georgia’s army is beyond politics and it is not involved in the political struggle, the head of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze told reporters Nov. 5.
He was commenting on Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s resignation.
He said that Alasania’s activity as defense minister was successful.
The period of his activity is one of the most important stages in the development of the Georgian Armed Forces.
"The army is beyond the politics,” Kapanadze said. “It will not be on somebody’s side. The army is an independent institution which does not participate in the political struggle. Alasania did much for the armed forces."
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili made a statement about Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s resignation following a meeting of the political council of the "Georgian Dream" bloc. (Trend.az)
There is no crisis-parliament chair states
According to Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Davit Usupashvili, it is not beneficial for the country, when agencies address each other by means of statements.
"There is no crisis in the coalition, these are only some critical developments. Naturally, it is not beneficial for the country, when agencies address each other by means of statements. I’d like to tell my partners in the coalition and the government that is responsible before the country to properly deal with this kind of crisis situations in order not to damage our country,"- Usupashvili said. (Pia.ge)
Ex-gov’t official detained after Rose Revolution is acquitted by European Court
A former government official detained in 2004 after the Rose Revolution for abuse of power and more, has been acquitted by the European Court of Human Rights after the former government was found to have abused the victim’s human rights.
Former chairman of the State Audit Office Sulkhan Molashvili Court after the ex- government was found to have violated four European Convention Articles.
These were: Article Three: No one shall be subjected to torture, inhumane treatment or punishment; Article Five: Right to liberty and security); Article Six: Right to a fair trial); and Article Fourteen: Prohibition of discrimination.
The Strasbourg Court made its final decision on the basis of a confession of the current Government. On March 11, 2014, the Georgian Government addressed the Strasbourg authorities and admitted the former government’s violations in Molashvili’s case and requested permission to re-investigate the incident.
The Strasbourg Court ordered the state to pay Molashvili ˆ20,000 (44,241 GEL) compensation within three months and to complete a new investigation within one year.
Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Justice Gocha Lortkipanidze noted the amount of compensation could have been more if the dispute had continued.
"Sulkhan Molashvili was treated inhumanly. He was sentenced to imprisonment groundlessly and unreasonably by an unfair court. He was a victim of discrimination. The former president of Georgia also violated presumption of his innocence,” Lortkipanidze said.
"The previous government had also been forced to launch the conciliation procedure for Molashvili in the Strasbourg Court however, the trial had been delayed because of the failure of negotiations between Molashvili’s lawyers and the previous government officials. [But now] we have finished this procedure, the Strasbourg Court has closed this case and imposed a fine of ˆ20,000 on the Georgian Government for Molashvili’s case,” Lortkipanidze noted.
In 2004 the Georgian court found Molashvili guilty of abuse of power, concealing a crime and misappropriation of public funds after the Rose Revolution on April 23, 2004. He was sentenced to nine years behind bars but was released in 2008 under a motion of the Patriarch.
Molashvili is currently in France. It is believed he will return to Georgia in November and re-appeal to the authorities as part of the new investigation into his case. (Agenda.ge)