“Irakli Okruashvili’s lawyer leaves for Germany”

Eka Beselia, the lawyer representing former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili, left for Berlin on December 2, where Okruashvili is currently detained pending a court ruling on extradition to Georgia, according to Akhali Taoba.

Nana Lezhava, a member of the opposition party Movement For United Georgia, which Okruashvili founded in September, said Beselia expected to make contact with him.

“Eka Beselia will certainly try to meet the former minister. The only thing I can say at the moment is that Beselia will meet Okruashvili’s German lawyer to hand over documents that support his case,” Lezhava said on Sunday.

Okruashvili’s legal representation intends to prove their client is a political refugee.

“The documents have been translated into German, and some have already been forwarded to Berlin,” Beselia told a recent press conference.

German authorities arrested former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili on November 27 at the request of Georgian authorities. He was originally arrested on September 29 on charges of extortion, money laundering, abuse of power, and criminal negligence.

According to the General Prosecutor’s Office, he left Georgia to seek medical treatment in Germany on November 1, and was later declared a fugitive when he failed to appear at a November 14 court hearing.



“Labor Party open Shalva Natelashvili’s election campaign headquarters”

Labor Party leader and presidential hopeful Shalva Natelashvili officially opened his election campaign headquarters at Labor Party central office on December 2, according to Mteli Kvira.

Party secretary Giorgi Gugava will head Natelashvili’s campaign team.

“If the Labor Party leader wins in the elections, [Natelashvili] will do his best to bring peace to Georgia and to reduce the level of poverty here,” Gugava said.



“Mikheil Saakashvili promises Rustavi residents employment”

Presidential hopeful Mikheil Saakashvili visited Rustavi on December 2, and met metal workers there as part of his election campaign, according to Sakartvelos Respublika.

He promised to stamp out unemployment in the town, some 25 kilometers from Tbilisi.

“Very soon, there won’t be a single unemployed person in Rustavi. I never make promises I can’t keep. I swear I’ll never deceive you,” Saakashvili told his audience.



“Georgia’s Junior Eurovision entrant leaves for Rotterdam”

Georgia’s entrant in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Mariam Romelashvili, 13, left for Rotterdam on December 1, according to Akhali Taoba.

She will represent Georgia with the song “Odelia Ranuni” at the final on December 8.

A British television production company Number 9 Films made a documentary about Romelashvili, along with three other Junior Eurovision contestants from Cyprus, Bulgaria and Belgium.

This is the first year Georgia has taken part in the contest.