The Messenger - Georgia's English Language Daily

Saakashvili inaugurated as opposition protests

Mikheil Saakashvili was sworn in for his second term as Georgia’s president yesterday, while opposition campaigners rallied to protest what they say was a rigged election. (more)

OSCE interim report details election shortcomings

An OSCE/ODIHR interim report released last week lists vote counting irregularities and unusually high turnout at some polling stations as some of the shortcomings of the recent presidential election. (more)

Russian Foreign Minister discusses improving relations

Shortly after President Mikheil Saakashvili offered Russia a “hand of friendship” in his inauguration speech yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is ready to move from words to actions on improving relations with Georgia. (more)

News in Brief

Words of the Day

Mikheil Saakashvili's second try

Officials: foreign debt down as percentage of GDP

Officials announced on January 17 that Georgia’s foreign debt in 2007 was 16.8 percent of GDP, nearly a third of the 2003 figure of 44.9 percent. (more)

Little change in Georgia’s economic freedom rating

Out of 157 states of the world Georgia has been ranked 32nd in a world economic freedom index conducted by The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation. Georgia scored 69.2 on the index, 0.1 down on last year’s figure, and deemed “moderately free” economically. (more)

Press Scanner

“A journalist and a cameraman died in a car accident” (more)