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Compiled by Sopo Datishvili
Tuesday, May 19
Five steps towards negotiations
Kviris Palitra reports that experts Soso Tsiskarishvili, Irakli Sesiashvili and Gia Khukhashvili have produced their “five steps and agenda number 3 for new negotiations”. They say that the five steps which should be taken before new negotiations take place are: 1. The release of political prisoners and those arrested for personal interest, as named by international organizations and the ombudsman, 2. The dismissal of Vano Merabishvili, Zurab Adeishvili, Kote Kublashvili and Levan Tarkhnishvili, followed by the beginning of consultations with the opposition about candidates to be appointed as Minister of the Interior, head of the Supreme Court, head of the Central Electoral Commission and Minister of Justice, 3. To make the Constitutional Security Department independent of the Interior Ministry, 4. To return Imedi TV to its rightful owners under the statute concerning the channel of January 2008, 5. The dismissal of the board of Georgian Public Broadcaster and its replacement with a new board whose composition is agreed with the opposition.
Questioned for tearing down placards
Kviris Palitra reports that three girls have been arrested in Zugdidi for tearing down wanted posters bearing the pictures of the Mukhrovani coup organisers. Giorgi Gachechiladze said on his show Cell Number 5 that the police had held the 13-14-year old girls for several hours and surrounded their homes.
The Interpressnews Zugdidi bureau reports that Ana Tsanava, Nata Esartia and Teona Pipia were questioned for 3 hours at the police station. The girls said that they didn’t even know what they had torn down. They remember that the police took them from their homes to the police station. The police asked them whether they had torn the posters down on the orders of a political party.
Equality Institute holds protest meeting outside home of Davit Bakradze
Akhali Taoba reports that members of the Equality Institute have held protest meetings outside the home of Parliament Chairman Davit Bakradze. They have called on him to resign and thus save the country.
The protestors brought hoes and spades with them in a reference to Bakradze’s address to the people during the August war, in which he asked everyone to arm themselves with hoes and spades to defend the motherland. They also wrote “Davit Go” on the surrounding walls and in other places.
Equality Institute member Tsotne Zurabishvili said that the Government keeps saying there are renewed threats from Russia, so they have come to tell Bakradze that the country needs protection. They are calling on him to stand with the Georgian people.
The Government will break up the demonstration
Rezonansi reports that it is difficult to predict the future development of the current processes. The Chairman of Parliament has stated that the demonstrations should end peacefully, but some say say that the opposition is violating the Constitution. No one knows how the Government will use this statement - will it attack the demonstration or not or the basis of it? But experts think doing such a thing would be like committing suicide for the Government.
No one knows if breaking up the demonstrations is under discussion in Government circles. As far as we are aware the only thing discussed has been peaceful ways of overcoming the political crisis.
If the Government plans to resolve the problem this week, everyone wonders how they are going to do it. The Government is still saying it is ready for dialogue but still takes no steps to deepen the opposition’s trust in it.
Kviris Palitra reports that experts Soso Tsiskarishvili, Irakli Sesiashvili and Gia Khukhashvili have produced their “five steps and agenda number 3 for new negotiations”. They say that the five steps which should be taken before new negotiations take place are: 1. The release of political prisoners and those arrested for personal interest, as named by international organizations and the ombudsman, 2. The dismissal of Vano Merabishvili, Zurab Adeishvili, Kote Kublashvili and Levan Tarkhnishvili, followed by the beginning of consultations with the opposition about candidates to be appointed as Minister of the Interior, head of the Supreme Court, head of the Central Electoral Commission and Minister of Justice, 3. To make the Constitutional Security Department independent of the Interior Ministry, 4. To return Imedi TV to its rightful owners under the statute concerning the channel of January 2008, 5. The dismissal of the board of Georgian Public Broadcaster and its replacement with a new board whose composition is agreed with the opposition.
Questioned for tearing down placards
Kviris Palitra reports that three girls have been arrested in Zugdidi for tearing down wanted posters bearing the pictures of the Mukhrovani coup organisers. Giorgi Gachechiladze said on his show Cell Number 5 that the police had held the 13-14-year old girls for several hours and surrounded their homes.
The Interpressnews Zugdidi bureau reports that Ana Tsanava, Nata Esartia and Teona Pipia were questioned for 3 hours at the police station. The girls said that they didn’t even know what they had torn down. They remember that the police took them from their homes to the police station. The police asked them whether they had torn the posters down on the orders of a political party.
Equality Institute holds protest meeting outside home of Davit Bakradze
Akhali Taoba reports that members of the Equality Institute have held protest meetings outside the home of Parliament Chairman Davit Bakradze. They have called on him to resign and thus save the country.
The protestors brought hoes and spades with them in a reference to Bakradze’s address to the people during the August war, in which he asked everyone to arm themselves with hoes and spades to defend the motherland. They also wrote “Davit Go” on the surrounding walls and in other places.
Equality Institute member Tsotne Zurabishvili said that the Government keeps saying there are renewed threats from Russia, so they have come to tell Bakradze that the country needs protection. They are calling on him to stand with the Georgian people.
The Government will break up the demonstration
Rezonansi reports that it is difficult to predict the future development of the current processes. The Chairman of Parliament has stated that the demonstrations should end peacefully, but some say say that the opposition is violating the Constitution. No one knows how the Government will use this statement - will it attack the demonstration or not or the basis of it? But experts think doing such a thing would be like committing suicide for the Government.
No one knows if breaking up the demonstrations is under discussion in Government circles. As far as we are aware the only thing discussed has been peaceful ways of overcoming the political crisis.
If the Government plans to resolve the problem this week, everyone wonders how they are going to do it. The Government is still saying it is ready for dialogue but still takes no steps to deepen the opposition’s trust in it.