Orchestra Camerata Ducale to give concert in Tbilisi

The Embassy of Italy in conjunction with the V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire is to organize a concert by the Orchestra Camerata Ducale later this week.

The December 7 event at the Conservatoire’s Grand Hall will include works by Vivaldi, Tartini, Paganini, and Viotti.

Founded in Turin in 1992, the Orchestra Camerata Ducale specializes in music by the Piemontese violin virtuoso and composer Giovan Battista Viotti (1755-1824).

The orchestra is also holding a masterclass at the conservatoire on December 6 about the development of the art of the violin in Italy. (Black Sea Press)



Saakashvili tops presidential poll

Former president Mikheil Saakashvili currently leads the field of contenders for the presidential elections on January 5, according to a poll carried out by the sociological research institute BCG.

The poll revealed that 54.4 percent of respondents said they would vote for Mikheil Saakashvili.

15.5 percent said Levan Gachechiladze, the united opposition candidate, would get their vote.

The survey found that 14.5 percent of those questioned would vote for Badri Patarkatsishvili, 6.4 percent for Davit Gamkrelidze, 5.6 percent for Shalva Natelashvili, and 3.5 percent for Giya Maisashvili.

BCG interviewed 10 000 people between November 16 and 29. The results of the poll, commissioned by the Saakashvili campaign, were broadcast on Rustavi 2.

18 hopefuls have now put themselves forward for the post of president of Georgia. (Black Sea Press)



Anniversary of murder of NDPG leader to be marked on December 3

The 13th anniversary of the murder of prominent Georgian politician Giorgi Chanturia, chairman of the National Democratic Party of Georgia (NDPG), will be marked at a simple ceremony on December 3.

NDPG members as well as Chanturia’s friends will gather at his graveside at Kashveti Church, Tbilisi, for the memorial service.

Giorgi Chanturia was killed outside his house on December 3, 1994, by unknown assailants. (Black Sea Press)



Georgian Minister of Justice to participate in CEPEJ session

On December 3, the Georgian Minister of Justice, Eka Tkeshelashvili, left for Strasbourg to take part in the 10th plenary session of the European Commission on Justice Efficiency (CEPEJ).

At the meeting, scheduled for December 5 and 6, issues such as the accessibility of the justice of European countries and an assessment of the monitoring of the judicial system will be discussed.

Tkeshelashvili, who is due to make a speech at the meeting, told journalists before she left for Strasbourg, “This will be a good chance to let the Commission know about reforms to the judicial system in our country.” (Black Sea Press)



MIA sets up election fraud hotline

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a 24-hour election fraud hotline.

The ministry is calling on people to notify them of any suspected cases of fraud or malpractice on polling day or in the run-up to the elections.

The hotline number is (822) 74-62-33. (Prime-News)