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Wednesday, May 13
There is no point in dialogue with the Government, say composers

Sakartvelos Respublika reports that a group of composers has sent the following message to the public: “There is no point in holding dialogues and negotiations with the Government.” They state this based on their personal experience. For four years they have been holding negotiations with the Government over the House of Composers in Borjomi, which was confiscated, and although they have received many promises that their property would be returned to them, the problem is still unresolved.

The head of the House of Composers, Kakha Tsabadze, says that the Government wants to use the political crisis in the country as a distraction in order to sell the House quickly, without any fuss. “Dialogue has been held for four years but has served only to waste time. We were told that we could live and work in the House but it wouldn’t be our property,” Tsabadze said.

“Before we have clarified who the owner of the Borjomi Composers’ House is, some very dear instruments have been stolen and the walls whitewashed. We have already discussed amongst ourselves several ways in which we can defend our property legally and are now waiting for an answer from the Ministry of Economics.

“We aren’t going to let the Government sell the House. What they are doing is another manifestation of their general attitude towards the culture sphere. I hoped that the property would be returned but now this hope has been lost for ever”, added Tsabadze.



The EU has becomes the political partner of Georgia – Kakha Gogolashvili

Sakartvelos Respublika has published an interview with Kakha Gogolashvili, who says: “The Prague summit was a very important event in the history of European integration. The EU has decided to form a partnership with certain Eastern countries. The integration of six former Soviet states with the Union was unimaginable a few years ago. Now it has become a real possibility. These countries won’t become members of the EU but close interrelations between them will begin.

“The declaration signed at the summit is a serious political statement from the EU. The form of its relations with these countries reflects the EU’s strategic importance. The EU will use all its resources to contribute to the processes of speedy transformation, political and economic development and approaching European standards in these countries. All this will help these countries further integrate with the EU.

“In summer a cooperation document will be signed which will make it much easier for Georgian citizens to travel to EU countries. The procedures for presenting documents will become easier too. Moreover there are some people for whom a special package of privileges for travelling or living in EU countries will apply, people such as students, scholars, diplomats and businessmen. The list of those entitled to these special privileges may grow even larger in future,” Gogolashvili said.



Writer receives the highest award

Kviris Palitra reports that the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, has awarded the writer Chabua Amirejibi the Order of Saint George, the highest honour in the Georgian Church, in recognition of his great service to Georgia.

In 1979 Chabua Amirejibi received a USSR state prize, while in Georgia he has received the 1994 Shota Rustaveli and 1998 Georgian State awards. He has also been presented with a worthy tribute and the Vakhtang Gorgasali Award First Class. He lives in Tbilisi and his works have been translated into 29 languages.