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The News in Brief

Monday, June 24
By Natalia Kochiashvili



‘Civil Movement’ creates a petition

“Prohibit the disruption of protest rallies with rubber bullets” - “Civil Movement” created a Petition with this demand. Overall, 20,000 signatures are needed.

Article 12 of the Law on Police establishes a list of special means that may be used during peaceful demonstrations, which doesn’t name rubber bullets.

Rubber bullets are perceived as a counterweight to peaceful rallies.

“It is unacceptable to disrupt peaceful demonstrators with a weapon that can cause death,” says petition.

As a result of injuries caused during the destruction of the rally, 240 people were hospitalized.



Khazaradze to fund 10 charter flights

TBC founder Mamuka Khazaradze responded to the ban on flights imposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to him, this decision will mark the tourist season; therefore, to support the Georgian tourism industry, he is ready to finance 10 charter flights. According to Khazaradze, these flights will serve Ukrainian tourists who fly from Kyiv to Tbilisi. The temporary ban is to come into force after July 8, 2019.



Teenage basketball talent Goga Bitadze in NBA

Georgia’s rising talent Goga Bitadze has been picked by the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Indiana Pacers.

Bitadze, 19, was selected as number 18 from 30 players selected by NBA teams in the first round of the Draft, an annual event where up-and-coming basketball talent is picked by teams of the world’s leading national competition for their rosters.

When arrived in Indianapolis Bitadze enjoyed a reception followed by the first press conference as the “Pacers” player during which he named Zaza Pachulia as exemplary sportsman for him. With the move to the Pacers, Bitadze joined him, the most high-profile Georgian basketball player, in the US league.

Bitadze was also asked about the War of 2008 during the conference. “I have already mentioned that during my childhood there was a serious situation in the country and we had a war with Russia in 2008, since that, 20% of my country has been occupied,” answered Indiana’s Georgian center.