The News in Brief
Thursday, April 3
Tbilisi says peacekeepers spreading misinformation
Tbilisi is accusing the Russian-led peacekeepers of spreading misinformation in the South Ossetia conflict zone.
At dispute is a March 31 incident near the village of Okana in breakaway South Ossetia, according to a statement from the State Ministry for Reintegration Issues.
The state ministry said the Russian-led CIS peacekeepers’ headquarters released one-sided information on the incident.
“[The Russian] statements are intended to deliberately misrepresent the situation and are directed at threatening the Georgian side without any reason,” the state ministry’s statement reads.
The statement accuses the peacekeeping forces of being politicized.
According to the official press committee of separatist South Ossetia, one of their militia posts in Okona, Znauri district, came under intense fire from Georgian-controlled areas on March 31.
The separatist press committee said forces from the Georgian Defense Ministry fired mortars for 40 minutes. No casualties were reported, and a Georgian governor alleged the separatist forces were faking the encounter as a provocation before the NATO summit in Bucharest. (Prime News)
Sarishvili sitting out parliamentary elections
Irina Sarishvili’s Imedi Party will not compete in the May parliamentary election, she announced yesterday outside parliament.
Sarishvili described the elections as a farce which could worsen the country’s political situation.
“It’s a dirty game, which includes the authorities and most of the opposition. Our party will not participate in that,” Sarishvili stated. (Prime News)
One-week military training course starts
A week of training at the Defense Ministry’s non-commissioned officers school began yesterday.
Trainees, led by German instructors, will practice assault maneuvers in urban and forest environments.
The course comes out of a bilateral agreement signed in 2005. (Prime News)
Historic Tbilisi buildings under repair
Old Tbilisi’s most venerable buildings are about to undergo repairs costing GEL 1.8 million.
Work has already begun on Asatiani and Tabidze streets.
Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava said the repairs are urgently needed.
“Unique and historic houses are on the brink of ruin,” he said. “We intend to maintain each house as a historical monument, so every house should have both their bases and their facades reconstructed.”
Ugulava also took the opportunity to present Archil Gegenava as the ruling party’s candidate for an Old Tbilisi majoritarian seat. (Prime News)
Commercial center to be built at Freedom Square
A British-registered company is developing a giant mall on Freedom Square.
Willbrook Management International will build the complex out of two buildings and parking lot spread over 85 000 square meters, at a cost of USD 100 million.
The Tbilisi mayor and minister of economic development attended a presentation of the project yesterday. (Prime News)
Tbilisi is accusing the Russian-led peacekeepers of spreading misinformation in the South Ossetia conflict zone.
At dispute is a March 31 incident near the village of Okana in breakaway South Ossetia, according to a statement from the State Ministry for Reintegration Issues.
The state ministry said the Russian-led CIS peacekeepers’ headquarters released one-sided information on the incident.
“[The Russian] statements are intended to deliberately misrepresent the situation and are directed at threatening the Georgian side without any reason,” the state ministry’s statement reads.
The statement accuses the peacekeeping forces of being politicized.
According to the official press committee of separatist South Ossetia, one of their militia posts in Okona, Znauri district, came under intense fire from Georgian-controlled areas on March 31.
The separatist press committee said forces from the Georgian Defense Ministry fired mortars for 40 minutes. No casualties were reported, and a Georgian governor alleged the separatist forces were faking the encounter as a provocation before the NATO summit in Bucharest. (Prime News)
Sarishvili sitting out parliamentary elections
Irina Sarishvili’s Imedi Party will not compete in the May parliamentary election, she announced yesterday outside parliament.
Sarishvili described the elections as a farce which could worsen the country’s political situation.
“It’s a dirty game, which includes the authorities and most of the opposition. Our party will not participate in that,” Sarishvili stated. (Prime News)
One-week military training course starts
A week of training at the Defense Ministry’s non-commissioned officers school began yesterday.
Trainees, led by German instructors, will practice assault maneuvers in urban and forest environments.
The course comes out of a bilateral agreement signed in 2005. (Prime News)
Historic Tbilisi buildings under repair
Old Tbilisi’s most venerable buildings are about to undergo repairs costing GEL 1.8 million.
Work has already begun on Asatiani and Tabidze streets.
Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava said the repairs are urgently needed.
“Unique and historic houses are on the brink of ruin,” he said. “We intend to maintain each house as a historical monument, so every house should have both their bases and their facades reconstructed.”
Ugulava also took the opportunity to present Archil Gegenava as the ruling party’s candidate for an Old Tbilisi majoritarian seat. (Prime News)
Commercial center to be built at Freedom Square
A British-registered company is developing a giant mall on Freedom Square.
Willbrook Management International will build the complex out of two buildings and parking lot spread over 85 000 square meters, at a cost of USD 100 million.
The Tbilisi mayor and minister of economic development attended a presentation of the project yesterday. (Prime News)