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The News in Brief

Monday, February 1
So-called thief-in-law Mindia Goradze arrested at Tbilisi airport

A so-called thief-in-law, Mindia Goradze, was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport after being deported from the Republic of Moldova.

As the Ministry of Internal Affairs told InterpressNews, Mindia Goradze was deported from Moldova on January 30.

“Our investigation has revealed that Mindia G. (who also used the alias Lavas Oghli) was recognized as a “thief-in-law” by the criminal world in 2013. He was behind various criminal cases. An investigation is in progress on the charges of thievery and distortion”, says the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
(ipn.ge)



5 dead, 6 injured in car crash

Five people died and six were seriously injured in a car crash in northwestern Georgia on Friday.

Two cars, a Ford and an Opel, crashed between the villages of Lia and Jvari near Tsalenjikha in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti.

The accident happened late in the evening. Four people died instantly, while one passed away some time later.

The six who survived with injuries were brought to hospitals in Zugdidi, Kutaisi and the capital. They are between 20 and 30 years of age.

Roland Akhalaia, head doctor at Zugdidi Republican Hospital, says that the three men who were most seriously injured in the accident have had surgery and their condition is now satisfactory.

The reason for the accident is unknown.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), an investigation has been launched based on article 276 of the Criminal Code about violation of traffic rules resulting in the death of one or more persons.

The MIA’s webpage offers statistics from six months of 2015 which shows that from January to June, 284 people died in car accidents, while 4,130 people were injured. Most of the accidents happened in Tbilisi.

According to Deputy Interior Minister Shalva Khutsishvili, the number of car accidents annually is increasing.

President of the Automobile Federation and member of Tbilisi Council, Shalva Ogbaidze said Georgia is one the countries in the world with most traffic accidents.

“There are 16-17 cases in Georgia per 100,000 people, while in European states there are only 3-5 cases,” he said.
(dfwatch.net)



Georgians may no longer be given shelter in Germany

The government of Bavaria has submitted an application to Bundestag, calling on them to put Georgia on the list of safe countries.

As Deutsche Welle reports, the corresponding announcement was made by the Bavarian Prime Minister in Berlin.

The initiative means that Georgians will no longer be given refuge in Germany, since Georgia will be recognized as a safe country.

Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova and several other countries will be added to the list.
(ipn.ge)



Berlinale Film Festival

Georgian author seeks funding for film adaptation of popular book

Germany-based Georgian author Nino Kharatishvili will seek to have her popular novel transformed into a film at next month’s 66th Berlinale Film Festival.

Kharatishvili's novel The Eighth Life (for Brilka) will feature in the European Film Market and Co-Production Market section at the famous European festival.

This section allowed creators and producers to come together to discuss new film projects.

Festival organisers said the chosen novels included "exciting new releases, bestsellers and award winners, all with great potential for cinema adaptation".

Kharatishvili’s novel, about a multi-generational family saga that is set in several countries, will be one of 11 to feature in the co-production category. The shortlisted pieces, from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany and more, were selected from about 130 submissions from more than 25 countries.

Kharatishvili's novel received critical acclaim in Germany following its publication in 2015.

The Georgian writer won the 2015 Anna Seghers Prize, after jurors said she was "among the most powerful and least egocentric young authors".

The 66th Berlinale Film Festival will run from February 11-21.
(agenda.ge)