Press Scanner
Compiled by Sopo Datishvili
Friday, December 19
President pardons 1,280 prisoners
As Sakartvelos Respublika reports, according to the head of the Amnesty Commission Elene Tevdoradze, all except three of those included in the new amnesty of 1,280 prisoners will be released. The exceptions will remain incarcerated, but only serve half their sentences.
“The President made the decision about each amnesty individually; we hadn’t sent him a list. Lists could have been sent from the Ministry of Justice, Public Prosecutor's Office or Patriarchate,” said Tevdoradze. She also added that there is another amnesty planned before the New Year.
The Commission for Amnesty, which will discuss new applications and send recommendations to the President, will convene on December 24.
GEL 65 thousand stolen from People’s Bank
Akhali Taoba reports that a few days ago, at about 7:20 p.m, there was an attack on the Chugureti office of People’s Bank.
According to initial information two armed men entered the bank while three employees and the manager were present. They stole GEL 65,000. At first it was thought the robbers had left an explosive device in the office before leaving but this report later turned out to be false.
The robbers escaped and are at large.
Supreme Council of Adjara agrees new Cabinet of Ministers
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that the Supreme Council of Adjara has agreed a new Cabinet of Ministers. There are no actual changes: The head of the Health Ministry is still Levan Antadze, Emzar Dzirkvadze remains Minister of Agriculture, Mate Takidze Minister of Education and Bolkvadze Minister of Finance and Economics.
The Christian Democratic Party did not vote for the new Cabinet, complaining that head of the Adjara Government Levan Varshalomidze failed to take into account a certain plan which would solve the problems caused by the economic crisis.
Joseph Kay accused of using his sick children
Rezonansi reports that Nana Patarkatsishvili, recently accused of bribery, has rounded on representatives of Joseph Kay, the owner of Imedi, at TV debates. “If they have some other “mega-sensations” to tell us, let us hear them,” she says, advising Joseph Kay and those surrounding him to stop using sick children for his own ends.
Nana Patarkatsishvili is referring to the money transferred to the account of Kay’s ex-wife Maimon, mother of his two children. Kay’s advocates claim that Patarkatsishvili gave Maimon a bribe of USD 35,000 for her testimony in a Gibraltar court. The representative of Patarkatsishvili’s widow accuses Kay of trying to use his client’s gesture to the mother of his two children and her concern for their health improperly. He explains that Nana Patarkatsishvili isn’t the plaintiff in the Gibraltar court case, between Joseph Kay and Ina Gudavadze.
Nana Patarkatshishvili doesn’t deny that she transferred the money to the account. She says that on May 31 she transferred from Standard Bank not USD 35,000 as Kay’s advocates claim but USD 30,000, in favour of Maimon, as her child was ill. Nana Patarkatsishvili says that as Joseph Kay brutally interfered in the life of Badri Patarkatshishvili, she can make public some details of Kay’s private life.
As Sakartvelos Respublika reports, according to the head of the Amnesty Commission Elene Tevdoradze, all except three of those included in the new amnesty of 1,280 prisoners will be released. The exceptions will remain incarcerated, but only serve half their sentences.
“The President made the decision about each amnesty individually; we hadn’t sent him a list. Lists could have been sent from the Ministry of Justice, Public Prosecutor's Office or Patriarchate,” said Tevdoradze. She also added that there is another amnesty planned before the New Year.
The Commission for Amnesty, which will discuss new applications and send recommendations to the President, will convene on December 24.
GEL 65 thousand stolen from People’s Bank
Akhali Taoba reports that a few days ago, at about 7:20 p.m, there was an attack on the Chugureti office of People’s Bank.
According to initial information two armed men entered the bank while three employees and the manager were present. They stole GEL 65,000. At first it was thought the robbers had left an explosive device in the office before leaving but this report later turned out to be false.
The robbers escaped and are at large.
Supreme Council of Adjara agrees new Cabinet of Ministers
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that the Supreme Council of Adjara has agreed a new Cabinet of Ministers. There are no actual changes: The head of the Health Ministry is still Levan Antadze, Emzar Dzirkvadze remains Minister of Agriculture, Mate Takidze Minister of Education and Bolkvadze Minister of Finance and Economics.
The Christian Democratic Party did not vote for the new Cabinet, complaining that head of the Adjara Government Levan Varshalomidze failed to take into account a certain plan which would solve the problems caused by the economic crisis.
Joseph Kay accused of using his sick children
Rezonansi reports that Nana Patarkatsishvili, recently accused of bribery, has rounded on representatives of Joseph Kay, the owner of Imedi, at TV debates. “If they have some other “mega-sensations” to tell us, let us hear them,” she says, advising Joseph Kay and those surrounding him to stop using sick children for his own ends.
Nana Patarkatsishvili is referring to the money transferred to the account of Kay’s ex-wife Maimon, mother of his two children. Kay’s advocates claim that Patarkatsishvili gave Maimon a bribe of USD 35,000 for her testimony in a Gibraltar court. The representative of Patarkatsishvili’s widow accuses Kay of trying to use his client’s gesture to the mother of his two children and her concern for their health improperly. He explains that Nana Patarkatsishvili isn’t the plaintiff in the Gibraltar court case, between Joseph Kay and Ina Gudavadze.
Nana Patarkatshishvili doesn’t deny that she transferred the money to the account. She says that on May 31 she transferred from Standard Bank not USD 35,000 as Kay’s advocates claim but USD 30,000, in favour of Maimon, as her child was ill. Nana Patarkatsishvili says that as Joseph Kay brutally interfered in the life of Badri Patarkatshishvili, she can make public some details of Kay’s private life.