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The News in Brief

Friday, May 12
Interior Minister participated in conference dedicated to traffic safety

Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mgebrishvili attended a conference dedicated to traffic safety. The conference was held under the initiative of a non-governmental organization, the Georgian Alliance for Safe Roads, and the UN's permanent representative to Georgia within the frames of Fourth Global Week of UN on traffic safety.

“For me it’s an honor to make another step along with you towards traffic safety, for our safety and safety of our citizens. The same idea inspired the campaign of the Ministry of Internal Affairs which was launched 1 year ago under the slogan 'For the Sake of Your Safety'. Within the frames of the campaign, a week dedicated to traffic safety is currently ongoing, which joins the United Nations global initiative, 'Slow Down'. I stand beside all of those people who will contribute to the safety of the traffic movement, because I exactly know that this is a challenge that requires our union and joint action. Western values for me start from such consciousness and I hope that everyone will share my sentiments," Giorgi Mgebrishvili stated at the conference.

The conference was also attended by the UN's permanent representative Niel Scott, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Gigla Agulashvili, the ambassadors of Switzerland and Poland to Georgia as well as representatives of Tbilisi City Hall, the Ministry of Economics and Sustainable Development and the non-governmental sector.

The conference was aimed at tackling challenges in the field of traffic safety, as well as future road safety plans. (MIA)



Georgian Foreign Minister: Russia should not be allowed to foster mistrust of West

“Russia should not be given a chance to create distrust over the European and Euro-Atlantic path and Western values,” Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze told a group of foreign diplomats and experts in Washington on Tuesday night.

Janelidze participated in a meeting of the core group of the Munich Security Conference. He spoke at a panel. ‘Russia and Eastern Europe’, and discussed the current security situation in the east of Europe and its impact on the security of the continent as a whole.

He discussed the Russian occupation of Georgian territories and talked about the challenges it causes.

He also stressed the importance of the activities of the West against Russia’s "expansive policy”.

The event was attended by US executive officials, high-ranking politicians and experts from all over the world.

The discussion was moderated by the President of the Brookings Institution, former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.

Along with Janelidze, the panel discussion featured two other speakers, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, and distinguished fellow of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute and former foreign minister of Russia Andrei Kozyrev. (Agenda.ge)



Up to 400 pupils of Batumi continue their studies in a new, modern building

Batumi's private multi-profile secular school “Gorda”, founded in 2002, has moved to a new, well-furnished and modernly equipped building. Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Aleksandre Jejelava and Minister of Education, Culture and Sport of Adjara Inga Shamilishvili congratulated the school's management, teachers and pupils on the building, and examined the educational environment.

“Gorda” has achieved a lot of success during its 15 years of functioning: the number of gold and silver medalists in international Olympiads increases annually, and pupils consistently receive high grades in their graduation diplomas and unified national examinations. Graduates are enrolled without tutors and continue to study with state grants in leading universities of Georgia country and abroad. In addition, school pupil-inventors have won the “Leonardo da Vinci” competition and participated in the US World Inventor Competition.

There are 80 teachers at the school, including three Doctors of Science and two professors. (mes.gov.ge)



Georgia and USAID – Restoring Efficiency in Agriculture Production

To celebrate 25 years of U.S.-Georgia diplomatic relations, the Georgian Culinary Academy hosted a cook-off with USAID’s Restoring Efficiency in Agriculture Production (REAP) project.

The event challenged U.S. and Georgian officials to prepare dishes using only products from local producers and agribusinesses supported by the REAP project and the Agriculture Project Management Agency (APMA) of the Ministry of Agriculture.

By publicizing the use of Georgian products in a variety of cooking styles, the event sought to promote local agro-food products and the importance of attaining food safety certifications, which are critical for Georgian exports to the EU through the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).

USAID/Georgia REAP and the APMA support the certification of Georgian products, including those used in the cook-off, as an essential component of efforts to develop Georgia’s agricultural economy and open it up to new international markets. (cbw.ge)