Press Scanner
Prepared by Diana Dundua
Thursday, March 27
“Republican Party won’t boycott TV stations”
Whether the moderate Republicans join other opposition parties in demonstrations depends on the situation, Rezonansi helpfully suggests.
Leading Republican MP Levan Berdzenishvili says his party supports legal campaigning, and would back the eight-party opposition coalition if they take a defensible line on Imedi TV and other issues.
“We used to stand behind this [coalition] and we are always ready to join their legal protests,” Berdzenishvili said.
But he said the Republicans would not be joining the boycott of government-friendly Rustavi 2 and Mze TV.
“We are not going to boycott the television stations. The Republican Party will never boycott journalists,” the opposition MP stated.
“The Soso Jachvliani film ‘Svani’ will compete in America’s international film festival”
Akhali Taoba reports that local directors Soso and Badri Jachvliani will have their film “Svani” included in an international film festival in Houston, Texas.
Soso Jachvliani said the film will compete for the award of best screenplay and best religious film.
The film festival runs from April 11 to April 20. On April 24, “Svani” will make an appearance at another film festival in California.
Several weeks ago the movie won a prize at an Indian film festival.
“I hope the film will have success at the American festivals as well,” Soso Jachvliani said.
The Jachvliani brothers are also expecting an invitation to a film festival in Moscow.
“Two Lagodekhi residents accused of illegal border crossing”
Sakartvelos Respublika reports border officers arrested to arrested two residents of Lagodekhi, a Kakheti border town, for allegedly illegally crossing the Georgian-Azerbaijani border.
Giorgi Kapanadze and Simon Kukchishvili reportedly failed drug tests.
According to Kakheti-based radio station Hereti FM, the two men will likely face only an administrative fine.
“Christian-Democratic Party asks international organizations to influence the Georgian authorities”
The oppositional Christian-Democratic Party is asking international organizations and foreign diplomats to step into domestic politics, according to Akhali Taoba, and convince the Saakashvili administration to return to dialogue with the opposition.
Representatives of the Christian-Democratic Movement say opposition parties have little motivation to compete in the May 21 parliamentary elections. The government has not fulfilled any a 17-point list of opposition demands from January, party leaders say, giving the opposition no reason to believe the elections will be fair.
The party also accuses the government of ignoring the recommendations of the OSCE and other international observer organizations.
“29-year-old man dies from gas leak”
A 29-year-old photographer died from a gas leak at his rented flat on Tamarashvili St. in Tbilisi, Sakartvelos Respublika reports
Igor Samuchkov was alone in the flat, where he had set up a photo lab. A faulty water heater caused the fatal gas leak. His body was found March 24 after concerned neighbors called the police.
Whether the moderate Republicans join other opposition parties in demonstrations depends on the situation, Rezonansi helpfully suggests.
Leading Republican MP Levan Berdzenishvili says his party supports legal campaigning, and would back the eight-party opposition coalition if they take a defensible line on Imedi TV and other issues.
“We used to stand behind this [coalition] and we are always ready to join their legal protests,” Berdzenishvili said.
But he said the Republicans would not be joining the boycott of government-friendly Rustavi 2 and Mze TV.
“We are not going to boycott the television stations. The Republican Party will never boycott journalists,” the opposition MP stated.
“The Soso Jachvliani film ‘Svani’ will compete in America’s international film festival”
Akhali Taoba reports that local directors Soso and Badri Jachvliani will have their film “Svani” included in an international film festival in Houston, Texas.
Soso Jachvliani said the film will compete for the award of best screenplay and best religious film.
The film festival runs from April 11 to April 20. On April 24, “Svani” will make an appearance at another film festival in California.
Several weeks ago the movie won a prize at an Indian film festival.
“I hope the film will have success at the American festivals as well,” Soso Jachvliani said.
The Jachvliani brothers are also expecting an invitation to a film festival in Moscow.
“Two Lagodekhi residents accused of illegal border crossing”
Sakartvelos Respublika reports border officers arrested to arrested two residents of Lagodekhi, a Kakheti border town, for allegedly illegally crossing the Georgian-Azerbaijani border.
Giorgi Kapanadze and Simon Kukchishvili reportedly failed drug tests.
According to Kakheti-based radio station Hereti FM, the two men will likely face only an administrative fine.
“Christian-Democratic Party asks international organizations to influence the Georgian authorities”
The oppositional Christian-Democratic Party is asking international organizations and foreign diplomats to step into domestic politics, according to Akhali Taoba, and convince the Saakashvili administration to return to dialogue with the opposition.
Representatives of the Christian-Democratic Movement say opposition parties have little motivation to compete in the May 21 parliamentary elections. The government has not fulfilled any a 17-point list of opposition demands from January, party leaders say, giving the opposition no reason to believe the elections will be fair.
The party also accuses the government of ignoring the recommendations of the OSCE and other international observer organizations.
“29-year-old man dies from gas leak”
A 29-year-old photographer died from a gas leak at his rented flat on Tamarashvili St. in Tbilisi, Sakartvelos Respublika reports
Igor Samuchkov was alone in the flat, where he had set up a photo lab. A faulty water heater caused the fatal gas leak. His body was found March 24 after concerned neighbors called the police.