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Compiled by Ernest Petrosyan
Tuesday, March 17
Patriarch will deliver lectures

The Patriarchate of Georgia has stated that Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II will deliver lectures to young people every Tuesday at 3 p.m, Kviris Palitra writes. People will be able to hear the Patriarch’s lectures at the spiritual and intellectual development centre at Holy Trinity Cathedral.

The Patriarch’s lectures will be about spiritual and intellectual education. The Patriarch will meet the young people and answer their questions. Admission to the lectures will be free.



Russian crisis affects Tskhinvali

Restoration works in Tskhinvali have been suspended due to a lack of finance, Kviris Palitra reports. Russian aid to Tskhinvali of 1.5 billion roubles has been exhausted. According to the Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee of so-called South Ossetia Zurab Kabisov, the Government has paid 30% to the construction companies in advance and therefore now has a debt to the banks. It is not rational to undertake restoration works in winter, therefore the works have not resumed yet.

Under Russian PM Vladimir Putin’s 11 August 2008 order 10 billion Russian roubles were allocated for restoration works in so called South Ossetia despite Moscow’s refusal to transfer funds to Tskhinvali without control being exercised. For this reason special directions were given by the South Ossetian Ministry of Regional Development.



Georgia will leave CIS officially on August 18

The Parliamentary Committee on International Relations has stated that Georgia will officially leave the CIS on August 18, Kviris Palitra reports.

On that date the mandatory one year’s notice required by the leaving procedures will have been served. There are several procedures still left to complete but there is time between now and August 18 for Georgia to do so and thus officially leave the organization.

During its period of CIS membership Georgia was a party to 113 agreements on various issues. According to the Vienna Convention Georgia can remain a party to the agreements for which CIS membership is not required after leaving.



National Forum denies it will join forces with Alasania

Versia writes that Irakli Alasania’s representative Pikria Chikhradze has said that his Alliance for Georgia may present a broader range of personnel to the public on Sunday. It is reported that Alasania’s team is holding consultations with various parties including the National Forum.

Member of the National Forum Irakli Melashvili has denied that his party, led by Kakha Shartava, is planning to ally itself with Alasania’s. At present the Alliance for Georgia consists of only the New Rights, Republicans and Alasania’s team.