The messenger logo

The News in Brief

Tuesday, December 15
Government plans new amnesty

The Government plans a new amnesty in the near future. A new bill concerning this was initiated at the Parliament Bureau session yesterday.

People convicted under criminal code articles 339, 362 or the first part of article 363 will be released or have a reduced punishment. These articles concern the preparation, purchase, selling, keeping, use, hiding and destruction of the counterfeit education documents in 2003-2004.
(Interpressnews)



Thomas Hammarberg to visit Georgia to release underaged detainees

The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg is to visit Georgia, State Minister for Reintegration Temur Iakobashvili has stated.

"Thomas Hammerberg will visit Georgia in the next few days to discuss the release of the underaged Georgians detained by the Tskhinvali regime and we’ll see positive results after his visit and involvement in the case," Temur Iakobashvili stated.
(Interpressnews)



Two Russians request Georgian citizenship

Two citizens of Russia have applied to the Georgian Consulate in France for citizenship of Georgia, Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze announced at yesterday's briefing at the Ministry. She said that the two Russians live in Paris at present.

"We are involved in this matter because the two Russian dissidents have applied to Georgia's Consulate in France. There is an official procedure to follow and the citizens of other countries are allowed by us to obtain the additional citizenship of Georgia and benefit from having dual nationality. Georgia will discuss this application and make a decision in accordance with the reasonableness of the case," Kalandadze said.

Nino Kalandadze also commented on the so-called Presidential elections in breakaway Abkhazia. She said that the Georgian Government hoped that the international community would assess the elections as illegitimate and treat their results as illegitimate too.
(Rustavi 2)



530 cases of H1N1 flu confirmed

The Iashvili Children's Clinic can no longer receive patients who need hospitalisation, because it has no place for those infected with H1N1. Ninety children have been hospitalised at the clinic with the symptoms of the virus. There are sixty children in the clinic now and their condition is stable.

According to the National Centre of Disease Control 530 cases of H1N1 have been confirmed by laboratory tests. Three patients remain in a critical state, and doctors say that these patients waited a long time before seeking assistance. They are breathing with the help of respirators in the Tbilisi Clinic of Infectious Diseases.
(Rustavi 2)



Fire in the Kulevi terminal localised

On December 13 fire broke out in the Kulevi oil terminal on Georgia's Black Sea coast. The fire brigade of Khobi in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region unsuccessfully fought the blaze for three hours. Later the Poti fire brigade was called. However the fire has been localised and there is no danger of it spreading further.

According to preliminary information, 8 hectares of pasture land have been burnt. The exact cause of the fire is obscure as yet.
(Rustavi 2)



Mikheil Saakashvili to visit Copenhagen on 17 December

President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili will visit Copenhagen to attend world climate summit on 17 December and will deliver a speech, Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze stated yesterday.

"President Saakashvili will attend the summit dedicated to climate change. This summit is of the utmost importance as world leaders take part in it and the President will have the possibility of holding high-level bilateral meetings," Nino Kalandadze noted.
(Interpressnews)