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Prepared by Diana Dundua
Friday, May 2
“Over first four months of 2008, 18 700 tourists visited Adjara region”
Akhali Taoba reports that tourist officials in Adjara claim strong tourism growth this year:
On April 30 the heads of Adjara Department of Tourism and Resorts and Department of Environment and Natural Resources met journalists to discuss tourism issues.
Temur Diasamidze, who heads the Tourism and Resorts Department of Adjara, said that 18 700 tourists visited the region over the first four months of 2008.
“This is at least 70–72 percent more than the same period last year,” Diasamidze said, adding that most tourists visiting Adjara are businessmen.
“Visitors mainly come from Turkey, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Ukraine. This year we are expecting approximately half a million tourists,” the officials said.
Diasamidze also announced that the Tourism and Resorts Department will meet restaurant and hotel owners in the region on May 1–2 to advise them not to increase prices during tourist season.
“If tourists see that prices are not justified for the service, they will be unlikely to return next year,” he said.
At the meeting, tourism officials stated that the sea is checked to ensure it is clean once per week.
“Georgian and Latvian veteran footballers play friendly match”
Rezonansi reports that Georgian football veterans will participate in a friendly match in Riga:
The State Ministry for Diaspora Issues has announced a friendly football match between Georgian and Latvian veteran footballers at the Skonto Stadium in Riga, Latvia
After the match the footballers will meet fans. The match is being organized by Latvian football veterans and is supported by the Latvian Football Federation and the Georgian Diaspora in Latvia.
“A terrible murder in Khobi region”
Villagers are threatening to exact revenge on the murderer of a pensioner in western Georgia, Rezonansi reports:
On April 29 a terrible murder took place in the village of Patara Poti in Khobi region—an unidentified person raped, tortured and then killed 67-year-old village resident Shura Tsulaia.
Neighbors found Tsulaia’s body. They said she was not well-off and her only income was her pension. Police have begun an investigation into the murder.
Local villagers have threatened to lynch the culprit if they find them.
“Roman Kusiani not to participate in upcoming parliamentary elections”
Sakartvelos Respublika gives a confusing account of why a ruling party member will not be running in the upcoming parliamentary elections:
Roman Kusiani, #56 member of the ruling United National Movement party has decided not to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
He said he has taken the decision due to the situation in the party, as well as Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze’s announcement that she will not be running for a parliamentary seat.
“I will not talk about the details, but I will just say that there is not room for me in the [party] list and so I decided to leave it,” Kusiani said on April 30.
Akhali Taoba reports that tourist officials in Adjara claim strong tourism growth this year:
On April 30 the heads of Adjara Department of Tourism and Resorts and Department of Environment and Natural Resources met journalists to discuss tourism issues.
Temur Diasamidze, who heads the Tourism and Resorts Department of Adjara, said that 18 700 tourists visited the region over the first four months of 2008.
“This is at least 70–72 percent more than the same period last year,” Diasamidze said, adding that most tourists visiting Adjara are businessmen.
“Visitors mainly come from Turkey, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Ukraine. This year we are expecting approximately half a million tourists,” the officials said.
Diasamidze also announced that the Tourism and Resorts Department will meet restaurant and hotel owners in the region on May 1–2 to advise them not to increase prices during tourist season.
“If tourists see that prices are not justified for the service, they will be unlikely to return next year,” he said.
At the meeting, tourism officials stated that the sea is checked to ensure it is clean once per week.
“Georgian and Latvian veteran footballers play friendly match”
Rezonansi reports that Georgian football veterans will participate in a friendly match in Riga:
The State Ministry for Diaspora Issues has announced a friendly football match between Georgian and Latvian veteran footballers at the Skonto Stadium in Riga, Latvia
After the match the footballers will meet fans. The match is being organized by Latvian football veterans and is supported by the Latvian Football Federation and the Georgian Diaspora in Latvia.
“A terrible murder in Khobi region”
Villagers are threatening to exact revenge on the murderer of a pensioner in western Georgia, Rezonansi reports:
On April 29 a terrible murder took place in the village of Patara Poti in Khobi region—an unidentified person raped, tortured and then killed 67-year-old village resident Shura Tsulaia.
Neighbors found Tsulaia’s body. They said she was not well-off and her only income was her pension. Police have begun an investigation into the murder.
Local villagers have threatened to lynch the culprit if they find them.
“Roman Kusiani not to participate in upcoming parliamentary elections”
Sakartvelos Respublika gives a confusing account of why a ruling party member will not be running in the upcoming parliamentary elections:
Roman Kusiani, #56 member of the ruling United National Movement party has decided not to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
He said he has taken the decision due to the situation in the party, as well as Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze’s announcement that she will not be running for a parliamentary seat.
“I will not talk about the details, but I will just say that there is not room for me in the [party] list and so I decided to leave it,” Kusiani said on April 30.