The News in Brief
Monday, December 7
Patriarch preaches sermon on good and evil
Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the Second spoke about good and evil in his sermon at Holy Trinity cathedral yesterday. "A human’s heart, when doing evil, damages himself first of all," the Patriarch stated.
The Patriarch cited Plato's words that someone doing evil is poor. He repeated what he said a week ago, that when people are either praised or blamed they must meet it with silence.
The Patriarch blessed people of the surnames Peradze and Zhvania, also the pupils and teachers of Tbilisi schools No. 182 and 65.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian National Communications Commission fines Russian TV companies
The Georgian National Communications Commission has fined some more Russian TV companies. It states that ÎRÒ, NÒV, ÒV-Centre, Rossia and Kultura are broadcasting in the occupied territories of Georgia without a license, in violation of article 1441, (parts 4, 5, 6) of the Code of General Administration of Georgia and the 6th article of the Law on the Occupied Territories.
The Commission has demanded that these companies stop broadcasting on the territory of Georgia without permission. It has fined ORT GEL 1,000,000 for a third offence and the four remaining companies GEL 500,000.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian non-Parliamentary opposition presents its plans to NGOs
The Georgian non-Parliamentary opposition held a meeting on Saturday in Tbilisi at which the various parties presented their future plans to NGOs.
Opposition members accuse the Georgian Government of conducting biased trials and intend to intensify work to counter this. NGO representatives and lawyers attending the meeting gave their recommendations concerning this to the opposition.
"We will agree on a joint strategy involving joint protest rallies with the demand: "Release political prisoners!" The trials of several political prisoners have already begun and we, the non-Parliamentary opposition parties, intend to object to what is being done to them," joint leader of the Conservative Party Kakha Kukava said.
(Rustavi 2)
School for Conflict Reporting opens in Georgia
The School for Conflict Reporting, founded by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting and the Georgian Defence Ministry, has opened. This project has been funded by the Foreign Ministry of the United Kingdom.
The school's first course will be held at Sachkhere School for Field Training on December 6-13. Six TV crews will attend a course on conflicts. The specialised course will help journalists gain knowledge of conflict reporting and the necessary skills for working in a crisis situation.
(Rustavi 2)
Two workers injured at building site in Tbilisi
An accident has occurred in the Temka district of Tbilisi. Two workers have been injured at a construction site in the vicinity of Maternity Home No5. A foundation wall of a new home for the disabled collapsed at about 17:00 on Friday and two workers were struck by a falling boulder.
The injured workers have been taken to the 4th Clinical Hospital. Doctors say that their health condition is satisfactory now. One of them has suffered a leg fracture and the other a rib fracture. An investigation has been launched into the incident and the reasons for the collapse will become known later.
(Rustavi 2)
Baramia delivers annual report to Parliamentary Committee
On December 4 the head of the legitimate Government of Abkhazia, Gia Baramia, delivered a report to the Temporary Commission for the Restoration of Territorial Integrity, chaired by MP Shota Malashkhia.
Gia Baramia demanded a simplification of the procedures necessary for granting IDP status and a Georgian passport to those fleeing occupied Abkhazia. Baramia believes that legislative amendments would increase the number of ethnic Abkhaz wanting to live outside the occupied region.
Baramia said five families of ethnic Abkhaz have already moved to the territory under Georgian control, 60 others are asking for passports and some pupils who have finished school in Sokhumi and Gudauta and have Russian certificates want to continue their studies at Georgian universities. He added that the situation is similar in the healthcare sector. He said the number of ethnic Abkhaz who have been treated in Georgian clinics has grown.
"Abkhaz people can see how the occupying country is carrying out genocide. They are coming to believe that Georgians are not their enemies and they face no danger beyond the Enguri Bridge. Sixty Abkhaz have already applied to the Georgian Government for Georgian citizenship and trust me, if we simplify the procedures, the number of such people will grow," Baramia said.
(Rustavi 2)
Georgian President awards Golden Fleece Order to Turkish Professor
The Georgian President has awarded the Golden Fleece Order to Turkish Professor Mesif Boskir, the founder of the Black Sea University in Georgia. The award is generally given to foreign citizens who make special contributions to the reconstruction of the country and the development of its science, art and culture.
After the ceremony Mikheil Saakashvili talked about the intensification of Georgia-Turkey relations and friendship. The President thanked the Turkish Government for assisting Georgian citizens injured in consequence of the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008.
(Rustavi 2)
Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the Second spoke about good and evil in his sermon at Holy Trinity cathedral yesterday. "A human’s heart, when doing evil, damages himself first of all," the Patriarch stated.
The Patriarch cited Plato's words that someone doing evil is poor. He repeated what he said a week ago, that when people are either praised or blamed they must meet it with silence.
The Patriarch blessed people of the surnames Peradze and Zhvania, also the pupils and teachers of Tbilisi schools No. 182 and 65.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian National Communications Commission fines Russian TV companies
The Georgian National Communications Commission has fined some more Russian TV companies. It states that ÎRÒ, NÒV, ÒV-Centre, Rossia and Kultura are broadcasting in the occupied territories of Georgia without a license, in violation of article 1441, (parts 4, 5, 6) of the Code of General Administration of Georgia and the 6th article of the Law on the Occupied Territories.
The Commission has demanded that these companies stop broadcasting on the territory of Georgia without permission. It has fined ORT GEL 1,000,000 for a third offence and the four remaining companies GEL 500,000.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian non-Parliamentary opposition presents its plans to NGOs
The Georgian non-Parliamentary opposition held a meeting on Saturday in Tbilisi at which the various parties presented their future plans to NGOs.
Opposition members accuse the Georgian Government of conducting biased trials and intend to intensify work to counter this. NGO representatives and lawyers attending the meeting gave their recommendations concerning this to the opposition.
"We will agree on a joint strategy involving joint protest rallies with the demand: "Release political prisoners!" The trials of several political prisoners have already begun and we, the non-Parliamentary opposition parties, intend to object to what is being done to them," joint leader of the Conservative Party Kakha Kukava said.
(Rustavi 2)
School for Conflict Reporting opens in Georgia
The School for Conflict Reporting, founded by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting and the Georgian Defence Ministry, has opened. This project has been funded by the Foreign Ministry of the United Kingdom.
The school's first course will be held at Sachkhere School for Field Training on December 6-13. Six TV crews will attend a course on conflicts. The specialised course will help journalists gain knowledge of conflict reporting and the necessary skills for working in a crisis situation.
(Rustavi 2)
Two workers injured at building site in Tbilisi
An accident has occurred in the Temka district of Tbilisi. Two workers have been injured at a construction site in the vicinity of Maternity Home No5. A foundation wall of a new home for the disabled collapsed at about 17:00 on Friday and two workers were struck by a falling boulder.
The injured workers have been taken to the 4th Clinical Hospital. Doctors say that their health condition is satisfactory now. One of them has suffered a leg fracture and the other a rib fracture. An investigation has been launched into the incident and the reasons for the collapse will become known later.
(Rustavi 2)
Baramia delivers annual report to Parliamentary Committee
On December 4 the head of the legitimate Government of Abkhazia, Gia Baramia, delivered a report to the Temporary Commission for the Restoration of Territorial Integrity, chaired by MP Shota Malashkhia.
Gia Baramia demanded a simplification of the procedures necessary for granting IDP status and a Georgian passport to those fleeing occupied Abkhazia. Baramia believes that legislative amendments would increase the number of ethnic Abkhaz wanting to live outside the occupied region.
Baramia said five families of ethnic Abkhaz have already moved to the territory under Georgian control, 60 others are asking for passports and some pupils who have finished school in Sokhumi and Gudauta and have Russian certificates want to continue their studies at Georgian universities. He added that the situation is similar in the healthcare sector. He said the number of ethnic Abkhaz who have been treated in Georgian clinics has grown.
"Abkhaz people can see how the occupying country is carrying out genocide. They are coming to believe that Georgians are not their enemies and they face no danger beyond the Enguri Bridge. Sixty Abkhaz have already applied to the Georgian Government for Georgian citizenship and trust me, if we simplify the procedures, the number of such people will grow," Baramia said.
(Rustavi 2)
Georgian President awards Golden Fleece Order to Turkish Professor
The Georgian President has awarded the Golden Fleece Order to Turkish Professor Mesif Boskir, the founder of the Black Sea University in Georgia. The award is generally given to foreign citizens who make special contributions to the reconstruction of the country and the development of its science, art and culture.
After the ceremony Mikheil Saakashvili talked about the intensification of Georgia-Turkey relations and friendship. The President thanked the Turkish Government for assisting Georgian citizens injured in consequence of the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008.
(Rustavi 2)