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The News in Brief

Friday, July 12
German State Minister says Eastern Europe is not Putin’s backyard

Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office, Michael Roth stated that he wants to help and support Georgia in the existing situation connected to relations to Russia.

“We firmly support Georgia’s territorial integrity. I want to say clearly that Eastern Europe is not Putin’s backyard. On the other hand, Russia remains in our neighborhood, and we need an open, frank, but constructive dialogue with Russia to resolve existing disputes,” he said.

He also noted that he is aware that many young people in Georgia love the European Union. He added that democracy, the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, the fight against corruption, respect for ethnic, religious, cultural, and sexual minorities are the fundamental principle for them. He called on the civil society to be the central part of these processes.



Giorgi Gakharia talks about June 20 on TV Pirveli

Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Gakharia said he issued a decree on the night of June 20 on the raid of the rally in front of the Parliament building in Tbilisi on June 20. He talked about it on TV Pirveli.

The journalist Inga Grigolia asked: “Now you have confirmed that whatever was happening there, was ordered by you? From the first minute to the last minute?“

“Of course, Inga. Especially since this rally took a violent character. Before that, I was just not there. I have acted within the Constitution and legislation of Georgia. In frameworks of legislation, I ordered the police to use special means that were completely outlined by the legislation. The main responsibility of the police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to protect the public order and safety in this country,” he said.



Old flag and coat of arms of Georgia declared as cultural heritage

By the initiative of the State Council of Heraldry, the old state flag of Georgia and the former state coat of arms was declared as a cultural heritage.

The State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia and the National Archives of Georgia submitted a document, based on which the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia granted the flag of the first Democratic Republic of Georgia and the coat of arms the status of a monumental monument of cultural heritage.
(By Mariam Chanishvili)