The News in Brief
Wednesday, August 5
Natural disaster inflicts heavy damage on Tbilisi
Several homes have been flooded as a consequence of the heavy rain and hail in Tbilisi. The natural disaster uprooted several trees which damaged electricity transmission lines on Monday night. Dozens of calls were made to the emergency services. Rescue brigades were working all night long.
The sustaining wall of a house was brought down by the heavy rain in Iluridze Street. The home was completely flooded, and this has put it under threat of collapse. The Gugulashvili family, which lives there, is asking for help.
The heavy rain especially damaged the Isani-Samgori and Gldani-Nadzaladevi districts. Several homes flooded in Kheivani Street in Isani-Samgori. Rescue brigades pumped water out of ground floor properties. The street itself has been damaged by the downpour. Several other streets and the area in the vicinity of the Akhmeteli subway were also been damaged
The heavy rain was followed by hail in several districts which damaged roads. Dekabrists Street was damaged and the sustaining wall of a dwelling house there was brought down. The rain scattered metal across roads in Ortachala.
The damage is being assessed in all districts, and after this reconstruction work will start. (Rustavi 2)
New cases of H1N1 virus
Two more cases of the H1N1 virus have been reported in Georgia. Interpressnews has been informed by the Ministry of Health that a 10-year child is infected, who caught it from a relative who also has the virus. The other infected person is a woman of 58 who has returned from abroad.
The condition of the two infected persons is satisfactory and they are undergoing medical treatment. Those who have had contact with the infected persons have been tested and are all well. There have been 12 H1N1 cases in Georgia. (Interpressnews)
Georgian Labour Party opposes new Public Defender
The Georgian Labour Party has objected to the appointment of Giorgi Tugushi as the new Public Defender of Georgia. Representatives of the party assert that Giorgi Tugushi is the cousin of prominent Parliamentary majority member Gigi Tsereteli and his appointment will cause the collapse of the Ombudsman’s office.
The party is calling on the Public Defenders of all EU countries to assess the appointment and adequately respond to it. Tugushi says the Labour statement is a lie and he is not related to Gigi Tsereteli. (Rustavi 2)
Lali Moroshkina accuses Public Broadcaster of rigging selection
Public Broadcaster General Director candidate Lali Moroshkina has accused the station of fixing the elections to this vacancy. Moroshkina told Interpressnews on Monday that Public Broadcaster has only named as candidates for General Director those who have the best chances of winning. Moroshkina stated that authorities has selected the candidacies they wish to see elected and declares this to be an incorrect action.
“This is early PR and a form of pressure being applied to the candidates. It wouldn’t be called pressure and PR if other channels had announced who the candidates were,” said Moroshkina.
16 candidates are participating in the competition. The General Director will be elected after a second interview on August 6 and their identity will be revealed on August 10. (Interpressnews)
Conservative Party accuses Government of political oppression
The Georgian Conservative Party has spoken about the oppression of its activists. Party leader Zviad Dzidziguri said at a briefing on Tuesday that several days ago unknown persons dressed as civilians had called at party member Giorgi Akhalkatsi`s home and asked him to go to the Gldani-Nadzaladevi police station without any explanation.
The party asserts that Giorgi Akhalkatsi was brutally beaten and is asking international organisations and foreign diplomats to investigate this. It calls on the Government to stop oppressing party members. (Rustavi 2)
Several homes have been flooded as a consequence of the heavy rain and hail in Tbilisi. The natural disaster uprooted several trees which damaged electricity transmission lines on Monday night. Dozens of calls were made to the emergency services. Rescue brigades were working all night long.
The sustaining wall of a house was brought down by the heavy rain in Iluridze Street. The home was completely flooded, and this has put it under threat of collapse. The Gugulashvili family, which lives there, is asking for help.
The heavy rain especially damaged the Isani-Samgori and Gldani-Nadzaladevi districts. Several homes flooded in Kheivani Street in Isani-Samgori. Rescue brigades pumped water out of ground floor properties. The street itself has been damaged by the downpour. Several other streets and the area in the vicinity of the Akhmeteli subway were also been damaged
The heavy rain was followed by hail in several districts which damaged roads. Dekabrists Street was damaged and the sustaining wall of a dwelling house there was brought down. The rain scattered metal across roads in Ortachala.
The damage is being assessed in all districts, and after this reconstruction work will start. (Rustavi 2)
New cases of H1N1 virus
Two more cases of the H1N1 virus have been reported in Georgia. Interpressnews has been informed by the Ministry of Health that a 10-year child is infected, who caught it from a relative who also has the virus. The other infected person is a woman of 58 who has returned from abroad.
The condition of the two infected persons is satisfactory and they are undergoing medical treatment. Those who have had contact with the infected persons have been tested and are all well. There have been 12 H1N1 cases in Georgia. (Interpressnews)
Georgian Labour Party opposes new Public Defender
The Georgian Labour Party has objected to the appointment of Giorgi Tugushi as the new Public Defender of Georgia. Representatives of the party assert that Giorgi Tugushi is the cousin of prominent Parliamentary majority member Gigi Tsereteli and his appointment will cause the collapse of the Ombudsman’s office.
The party is calling on the Public Defenders of all EU countries to assess the appointment and adequately respond to it. Tugushi says the Labour statement is a lie and he is not related to Gigi Tsereteli. (Rustavi 2)
Lali Moroshkina accuses Public Broadcaster of rigging selection
Public Broadcaster General Director candidate Lali Moroshkina has accused the station of fixing the elections to this vacancy. Moroshkina told Interpressnews on Monday that Public Broadcaster has only named as candidates for General Director those who have the best chances of winning. Moroshkina stated that authorities has selected the candidacies they wish to see elected and declares this to be an incorrect action.
“This is early PR and a form of pressure being applied to the candidates. It wouldn’t be called pressure and PR if other channels had announced who the candidates were,” said Moroshkina.
16 candidates are participating in the competition. The General Director will be elected after a second interview on August 6 and their identity will be revealed on August 10. (Interpressnews)
Conservative Party accuses Government of political oppression
The Georgian Conservative Party has spoken about the oppression of its activists. Party leader Zviad Dzidziguri said at a briefing on Tuesday that several days ago unknown persons dressed as civilians had called at party member Giorgi Akhalkatsi`s home and asked him to go to the Gldani-Nadzaladevi police station without any explanation.
The party asserts that Giorgi Akhalkatsi was brutally beaten and is asking international organisations and foreign diplomats to investigate this. It calls on the Government to stop oppressing party members. (Rustavi 2)