The News in Brief
Tuesday, October 26
PM discusses Economic Cooperation with China
Nika Gilauri, the Georgian Prime Minister began working meetings in China with the country’s leadership and business circles representatives on October 25, reported the press service of the prime minister.
According to the press service, Gilauri will have a meeting with the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Ven Tsyabao. Deepening bilateral relations between the two states will be discussed during the visit.
The Georgian Prime Minister will also meet with China’s Minister of Transport and Trade, the vice-president of the power and water supply international company and the director of the administrative committee of the free trade zone of the city Kindzhao.
During his visit, Gilauri will take part in a business forum and meet with the general director of an international engineering corporation and hold working meetings at the hydro-corporation and Corporation of railway construction.
From Beijing the Prime Minister will travel to Shanghai, where the National Day of Georgia will be held as part of the international exhibition EXPO-Georgia 2010 on October 28. In Shanghai, he will meet with the Minister of Culture and the president of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. He will also visit the telecommunications network company “Huawei” and the global financial centre of Shanghai.
On October 30 the Prime Minister will travel to India to participate in the forum “Invest in Georgia” before returning to Georgia on November 2.
(Prime-News)
Ukrainian media praise Georgian reforms
The Ukrainian media is frequently airing reports about reforms in the Georgian police force and the results of these reforms. TV Company Inter broadcast a special programme about the effective work of Georgian police. “The Georgian police has turned into a national brand and now other countries are following Tbilisi’s example, the presenter opened the programme with these words.
The TV story said that following the Rose Revolution, the new Georgian leadership team launched intensive and radical reforms; the patrol police, which replaced the Soviet militia, has become the symbol of a non-corrupt government; the term corruption itself is now an archaic word in Georgia.
The television programme also covered the work of the service agency of the interior ministry, where the officers work in uniforms and transparent buildings. The author downplays any criticisms and asserts that corruption and the number of crimes have been significantly reduced.
The story’s writers interviewed the Georgian Interior Minister, Vano Merabishvili, who commented, “The key to the effectiveness of this reform is that the police are not a law enforcement structure, but a service, which protects the interests of Georgian citizens. The confidence rate in Georgian police today is 82%. This is a very serious index, of which Scandinavian countries would be proud; there the police force is a very popular profession. Reform is what never ends. This reform was launched in Georgia from the first day and the process continues. If this process is stopped even for one day, everything will immediately regress.”
(Rustavi 2)
Grigol Vashadze in Luxembourg and Belgium for meetings
Georgian Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze will hold a series of meetings in Luxemburg and Belgium, stated Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze at a press briefing on October 25.
“The minister’s visit is being held alongside the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU, where it is planned to discuss the issue of Georgia,” Kalandadze said.
On October 25 foreign ministers from the 27 EU countries met in Luxembourg. The meeting was chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
According to the Deputy Foreign minister, during the visit Grigol Vashadze will participate in a meeting (initiated by the Czech republic) with the new Group of Friends of Georgia (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania).
“The main purpose of the meeting is to review the priorities, current issues and future prospects of relations between Georgia and the EU, as well as the EU’s role in the enhancement of security and stability in Georgia,” said Nino Kalandadze.
During the visit, Vashadze will hold bilateral meetings with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fule and other European diplomats.
(Prime-News)
CDM disapproves of amount spent on Tbilisoba
Christian Democrats slam the Tbilisi government for wrongful distribution of municipal funds. Party member Inga Grigolia held a briefing yesterday and said the amount of funds allocated for the Tbilisoba festivities was far too large compared to the amount of funding for social projects. She said it would have been better if the money were spent on more social projects, for example on helping families with a lot of children.
Inga Grigolia appeared before journalists together with a mother of nine children, Irma Rusoshvili, who she said suffered from social problems. She said Rusoshvili had no home and all her social assistance was spent on rent, while assistance for each child is 20 GeL.
“Such families need special care. They should not be receiving assistance according to lottery principle. That’s why we call upon the municipality to allocate more funds for families with many children,” Grigolia said.
(Rustavi 2)
Nika Gilauri, the Georgian Prime Minister began working meetings in China with the country’s leadership and business circles representatives on October 25, reported the press service of the prime minister.
According to the press service, Gilauri will have a meeting with the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Ven Tsyabao. Deepening bilateral relations between the two states will be discussed during the visit.
The Georgian Prime Minister will also meet with China’s Minister of Transport and Trade, the vice-president of the power and water supply international company and the director of the administrative committee of the free trade zone of the city Kindzhao.
During his visit, Gilauri will take part in a business forum and meet with the general director of an international engineering corporation and hold working meetings at the hydro-corporation and Corporation of railway construction.
From Beijing the Prime Minister will travel to Shanghai, where the National Day of Georgia will be held as part of the international exhibition EXPO-Georgia 2010 on October 28. In Shanghai, he will meet with the Minister of Culture and the president of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. He will also visit the telecommunications network company “Huawei” and the global financial centre of Shanghai.
On October 30 the Prime Minister will travel to India to participate in the forum “Invest in Georgia” before returning to Georgia on November 2.
(Prime-News)
Ukrainian media praise Georgian reforms
The Ukrainian media is frequently airing reports about reforms in the Georgian police force and the results of these reforms. TV Company Inter broadcast a special programme about the effective work of Georgian police. “The Georgian police has turned into a national brand and now other countries are following Tbilisi’s example, the presenter opened the programme with these words.
The TV story said that following the Rose Revolution, the new Georgian leadership team launched intensive and radical reforms; the patrol police, which replaced the Soviet militia, has become the symbol of a non-corrupt government; the term corruption itself is now an archaic word in Georgia.
The television programme also covered the work of the service agency of the interior ministry, where the officers work in uniforms and transparent buildings. The author downplays any criticisms and asserts that corruption and the number of crimes have been significantly reduced.
The story’s writers interviewed the Georgian Interior Minister, Vano Merabishvili, who commented, “The key to the effectiveness of this reform is that the police are not a law enforcement structure, but a service, which protects the interests of Georgian citizens. The confidence rate in Georgian police today is 82%. This is a very serious index, of which Scandinavian countries would be proud; there the police force is a very popular profession. Reform is what never ends. This reform was launched in Georgia from the first day and the process continues. If this process is stopped even for one day, everything will immediately regress.”
(Rustavi 2)
Grigol Vashadze in Luxembourg and Belgium for meetings
Georgian Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze will hold a series of meetings in Luxemburg and Belgium, stated Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze at a press briefing on October 25.
“The minister’s visit is being held alongside the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU, where it is planned to discuss the issue of Georgia,” Kalandadze said.
On October 25 foreign ministers from the 27 EU countries met in Luxembourg. The meeting was chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
According to the Deputy Foreign minister, during the visit Grigol Vashadze will participate in a meeting (initiated by the Czech republic) with the new Group of Friends of Georgia (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania).
“The main purpose of the meeting is to review the priorities, current issues and future prospects of relations between Georgia and the EU, as well as the EU’s role in the enhancement of security and stability in Georgia,” said Nino Kalandadze.
During the visit, Vashadze will hold bilateral meetings with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fule and other European diplomats.
(Prime-News)
CDM disapproves of amount spent on Tbilisoba
Christian Democrats slam the Tbilisi government for wrongful distribution of municipal funds. Party member Inga Grigolia held a briefing yesterday and said the amount of funds allocated for the Tbilisoba festivities was far too large compared to the amount of funding for social projects. She said it would have been better if the money were spent on more social projects, for example on helping families with a lot of children.
Inga Grigolia appeared before journalists together with a mother of nine children, Irma Rusoshvili, who she said suffered from social problems. She said Rusoshvili had no home and all her social assistance was spent on rent, while assistance for each child is 20 GeL.
“Such families need special care. They should not be receiving assistance according to lottery principle. That’s why we call upon the municipality to allocate more funds for families with many children,” Grigolia said.
(Rustavi 2)